Duelity of a Name
by MikeX713
Summary: The Dovahkiin of Skyrim, taken from Nirn and placed in a world at first glance is devoid of the adventure he loves. His mind and body changed and warped by the Daedra that had sent him to this new world. He now struggles with his identity as a former hero now caged into a life without adventure. But that looks to be changing... the world thought dull will show excitement at last.
1. Chapter 1

Author - MikeX713

Disclaimer – I don't; own Elder Scrolls or Sekirei. If their owners would like to give me them… that's cool… but for right now… nope… don't own anything but OCs.

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Author's notes.

First off… to all of those who are fans of my other stories that have not touched in some time… I am sorry. Really really sorry. I know… I really should work on them but right now… really sorry but I just have some issues with some of them and others simply not inspired. I am working on fixing both issues. But for right now… sorry.

Second, currently I have about I think six chapters finished. After that I don't know how long it might take to make more. I will be posting new chapters weekly until I have no more chapters left to post. Then who knows when I will post. Sorry.

Third. **WARNING.** If you like stories where the Dovahkiin is super badass and op as fuck RIGHT AT THE START, then this is not the story for you. I like progression in characters. The Dovahkiin in this story is currently in full end game level of power and gear however is in a mind set that limits him. He is not weak in terms of power but he just has some personal issues that prevent him from using his full power all the time. But as the story goes on he will begin to use more and more.

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"Talking"

" _Thoughts_ "

" **Thu'um** "

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"I have faced down dragons, Daedra, vampires, killer dwemer robots, armies of men… so how… for the love of Nocturnal am I beaten by a stupid entrance test?" Malistantius Caeraso grumbled to himself as he stared at the sign stating the grades for the entrance test. He was supposed to be the Dovahkiin, the Thieves Guild Master, Harbinger of the Companions, Hero of the Stormcloaks, Hero of all of all of Nirn. But this test… this had beaten him twice. "Maybe I should just steal the answers." He grumbled as he turned around and began his way back to his apartment.

He walked through the crowds of people most if not all happy with their test results. He pushed down the feelings of jealousy toward them, he had in another life done so much more. Or so he had been told. His name was Malistantius, shortened for this world to be Malist. He was the Dragon Born, but again he had been told this. He couldn't remember much of his previous life. He knew how to do certain things, skills and spells but very little from his life before this world had stayed with him in travel. He remembered names, faces, and small important things about a few people from back in Nirn, the world he came from, but that was it.

He could remember Brynjolf and everyone from the Thieves Guild, though him the most. He could remember all the times they taught him to never play or fight fair, and the motto of the Thieves Guild, _Shut up and go steal something, we need the money_. He remembered the Companions, he was supposed to be their Harbinger. Memories of laughing and drinking after a successfully clearing a bandit camp could come back to him but then leave as quickly as they came. There were other faces and names that every now and then came, Ulfric Stormcloak, Delphine, Vavos Aren, and many others. But there was only a small ember of recognition in his mind.

But these memories were not the only thing from his former life he retained. He still had the many skills that made him a hero and so powerful that he could raze whole cities. He was a natural talent with Magicka, he focused on Destruction and Conjuring but he held some skill in the rest of the schools of magic from Nirn. He still could call on these powers as easily as breathing. In all honesty, he would have preferred a bit more of his memories to this. But his body also retained much of the more sneaky skills that had been taught to him by his friends in the Thieves Guild. And he was still the same expert marksmen with a bow as always was back in his old life. The only place he lacked was in close combat… where he was a Divines awful mess. But he had something that fixed that. In the form of two enchanted Daedric Daggers that both increased his speed and ability in knife play. Along with those two Daggers he had still a whole Inventory of equipment and gear form his previous life. Tools and weapons that only the Dragon Born would ever have in number.

But all of this was useless in this world. This world was not Nirn but Earth. And enchanted daggers and spells had no place here. This was a world built on science and technology. And so he was very out of place here. Even more so given what happened to him on the way here. Not only had he been sent to a world unknown and had his memories taken from him. But even his body had been taken as well. The being that sent him and his three traveling companions here thought it would be funny to also de-age him down to eighteen years old. He had only done so to him… and only Malistantius' memories had been taken. He had no idea why the Daedric Lord of Madness and Chaos did this but given what that being was it was impossible to ever know the why and even if he did… the reason would be stupid. He just knew it.

So now Malistantius the Dovahkiin had been taken from the world he had saved and placed in this world as Malist the Confused. Now a nineteen year old young man with the powers of a world saving hero and the knowledge that he carried the legacy of said world saving hero. A legacy he was doing a very poor job of living up to.

Malist pulled out his phone and glared at the device for a moment. He knew he had to call her, he didn't want to… she would make fun of him. He had been her Harbinger and yet… things were very different.

"You failed didn't you?" He heard Aela mocked without even waiting to see if he had might have passed.

"Yup…" He said simply before holding the phone out as to not shatter his eardrums.

"YOU COMPLETE DUMBASS! How in the name of Talos could you be this stupid! You can discover the secrets of the inner workings of magic and yet you fail a fucking math and science test! And you! The man that can convince anyone of anything, fail two separate language tests… how?!"

"I don't know… it just happened." He didn't even try to defend himself. That would be pointless. He had tried, he really did… but when it came down to taking the test… the paper in front of him… he just buckled under the insane pressure of trying to do as good as the Dragon Born would do. In his previous life he was considered a genius in many regards… he rarely acted like it given that he was far more at home with thieves and drunk warriors than academics and scholars.

"Listen… here's what is going to happen… I'm going to provide you some incentive… I'm cutting your funds in half." Malist stopped walking at that, his face contorting into terror. "You get in to college then you get your money back, got it?"

"Wait… Aela… please. I have saved you from countless dangers back in Nirn, that has to count for something please." He said this but the weak and fearful voice undercut the argument.

"That was back home… this is Earth, not Nirn. Here, you are a nineteen year old brat that needs to go to school and get a job afterward. Trust me… I'm not happy doing this."

"So all that time back home means nothing. Nothing at all?"

"Malist, you need to move on from Nirn… we all do." Aela said, her voice turning a little more soft and saddened. And at that Malist scowled, it was the same double standard that had developed for him. On one hand he was supposed to live up to the man he was before and yet at the same time move on from that life. "This isn't having to do with anything from back there… we all need to learn to live in this new world." She said before hanging up leaving Malist alone in the moving crowds of people.

"But this world isn't the world I belong in… damn you Sheogorath." Malist mumbled to himself before putting his phone away and continuing toward the train station. It had been one year and two months since Sheogorath had ambushed him and his companions on their way to get rid of a dragon that had been threatening Riften. He showed up out of now where and after annoying the group with his nonsense sent them all through a portal landing them in this new world. This Earth. Aela, Eirk, and Serana had all been dropped into this new world relatively untouched, they had all their gear and equipment with them and there was no change to their person.

But as said before, Malist had been changed both in mind and body. He now stood a head lesser than what he had been, it was still rather tall for most normal people but it was uncomfortable for him. His face had lost many of the scars that he had once been proud of, he still had the sharp features and dark hair of his Imperial heritage. His body was quite fit but lacking the highly trained muscles that only came in living a life filled in combat.

His mind had also been changed to that of teen, his memory fuzzy with the his past life. Much of what he didn't recall had to be retold to him, he believed it all as he had… something of a recognition of the facts just no real connection to them. His mind had cleared somewhat in time since then, he remembered the feeling of excitement of killing a dragon, or burring a giant to ash, all those fantastic things he had done in Nirn. And these things more than anything created a sense of longing for Nirn and a growing resentment to this new world.

In the year since coming to Earth, the four of the Nirn born companions had tried their best to integrate into their new home with varying success. Aela had been very successful in landing a high paying job at a local mega company as part of their internal security. She now helped the rest of them with any money problems. Not as much for Malist as of now however it would seem. Eirk bounced around, doing odd jobs and a bit of hard labor here and there. Out of all of them he missed Nirn the least, he had said he missed life as a adventuring mercenary but this world had TV and the Internet… Eirk unlike the other three didn't need much out of life. Serana was a bit of a mystery to the three, they knew she stuck around them in the city they lived in but what she did… none of them knew. All they had was a cell number and an address to a small apartment above a jazz music club.

Malist himself lived in a small single apartment. He had no job and he had very little social life. He didn't talk to people that much. He still could if he wanted to charm anyone into giving him everything they had on their person but he just didn't like talking to people in this world. Everyone felt so bland and boring. Being told that he once lived in a world filled with excitement and things like dragons and magic made everything in this world boring. Lately it just felt like in this world… he just didn't belong. That his very existence in this world was wrong. He didn't belong anywhere here, here in this world he failed time and time again to find a place. Back in Skyrim he did have a place… he was the hero.

"Damn it… I really hope that Nocturnal is beating his ass for taking her fav…" Malist continued to grumble his grievances toward the Daedra that sent him here but then stopped as his ears picked up the sound of an explosion. A small spark of hope of excitement run through the veins of the Dovahkiin. His years of battle and experience taking over his body as he heard the screams of a young woman coming at him.

"AHHH! Get out of the way please! I can't stop!" He didn't need to look as he readied himself to catch whoever this girl was that was coming toward him. He was fully prepared to catch her out of the sky like the hero he was supposed to be… only he didn't. He had mistaken the speed at which she was heading toward him and she quickly crashed into him sending him to the ground with her on top of him.

"Great… once again… I just prove what I already know." He grumbled as he opened his eyes only to find his view filled with the girl's underwear. Now… Dovahkiin Malistantius Caeraso of Nirn had seen many naked women and had long since lost his awkwardness around such things as this… but Malist of Earth had a biologically teenage body and lacked the solid memories needed to have a fully mature mind on the subject. And so, the mighty Hero of Skyrim blushed at the sight and quickly pulled back in embarrassment of the rather attractive girl on top of him.

"Ow… I should have known that building was way too high to jump off of." She mumbled to herself before turning around to Malist. "Thank you very much, you must be the kind person who caught me right?" Malist just stared at the girl, his brain needing a moment to fully grasp the situation. The girl in front of him looked to be around the same age as currently was, she was very pretty with a kind face and trusting eyes and short brown hair. Her outfit was… strange… and it did nothing to hide her figure… mostly her rather large bust.

"Well… it was more like a softened your fall… not that I didn't try to catch you." He grumbled that last part, upset at himself for not doing something a s simple as catching a falling girl. It looked like she was about to say something but then both her and Malist felt the a attack come to them.

"Look out!" She said before Malist could and rushed over to him to push him out of the way of a incoming lightning attack. Much to his surprise, teen joy, and warrior irritation in the process of pushing him to safety he was given a face full of the girl's chest. The girl was oblivious to it as she had more important things to worry about, or at that was what Malist assumed.

"There's no use running." Malist looked up after the girl got off him and he saw two twin women standing on top of a nearby building. Both in what he assumed to be leather armor but he had to concede that was unlikely given the design and how little the outfits covered. He didn't care due to one, they looked good on them. But more importantly, things were finally getting exciting for a change. This was still his chance to prove to himself and everyone that was still a great and mighty hero as he was back in Nirn. "We'll just find you again, so hurry up and fight us!" One of the twins called down to the girl.

"I can't fight! Well… at least not yet." She said a little weakly. Malist wasn't in the same boat as this girl, he was fully ready for the first real fight he was going to have in a year.

"You may not feel like fighting right now sweetie…" The other twin said as they both gave off a display of their power. "… but we do!" She said as the two of them jumped down toward Malist and the girl they were clearly hunting.

"As do I-iiiii…hey!" Malist screamed as he was taken by the hand and dragged away from the fight by the girl. " _Whoa! She's strong!_ " Malist thought as he was dragged away, the girl's strength high enough to actually keep Malist off the ground the whole way out to the side of a river on the edge of the city.

"We should be safe for a while…" The girl breathed out after coming to a stop but then screamed at the sight of a motion sick Malist. Something he would later swear here to never tall a single soul about. "Please forgive me for this!' She screamed in worry as she tried to help Malist back to full awareness. "I'm soooo sorry, sorry sorry sorry…" She continued until Malist regained a bit of compose and sat back getting ahold of his breath.

"By the love of Nocturnal… we stopped…" He said as he looked around to try and get an idea for where he was.

"I'm sorry for getting you involved like this, I didn't mean to take your hand. I just did for some reason." She said with an apologetic look on her face as she kneeled down in front of Malist. "Oh! We haven't been properly introduced… my name is Musubi, what's yours?" Malist was… surprised at the friendly attitude this girl Musubi was showing him, a complete stranger. It was a nice change of pace to the normally either rude or superficial masks people of this world normally held.

"Malistantius Caeraso, but just call me Malist." He said simply deciding that this girl earned an honest answer.

"Malistantius Caeraso, that's a funny name." She giggled and for once Malist didn't take offence at someone saying his name was strange or funny or when back in Skyrim… too Imperial. It was one of the few memories he had… because there were so many of them. People in this country of Japan still found his name strange but just assumed he came from Europe. "Well thank you Malistantius for your bravery for saving me back there." That made a small vein pop out of his forehead.

" _I didn't save you… I was going to but you dragged me away before I could!_ " He mentally raged as he finally found people that might provide a chance at glory and vindication but he didn't say it out loud because this seemed like a nice girl and he didn't want to upset her. She was already feinting and he didn't want to add on to that. " _Wait… she's feinting?_ " Malist was taken out of his thoughts at the sight of Musubi falling to the side with her eyes closed. Malist stared at the girl for a moment thinking over the events of the last hour.

One… a cute girl crashed into him form the sky. Not that out of the ordinary back in Nirn but here… yes… very unusual. Then two women in… _leather armor_ … appear and have some control over lightning but it didn't look to be Magicka based. This world had the flow of Magicka running through it, it was closed off from the humans that lived in it. Their bodies simply lacked something that humans and other beings in Nirn had that allowed them to use the energy. But after seeing those two women, the girl pulled Malist away from the fight and ran off to his current location. She also did so with strength not normal to humans. She had been friendly and in a way that Malist found refreshing and not fake at all. And then after introducing herself and he to her, she feinted. He knew what he wanted at this point, to figure out just what was going on and how he could find those women again and perhaps others like them. This world was starting to show its exciting side and he wasn't going to let it go. But he had only one connection to it… this girl, Musubi.

So Malist picked the girl up and threw her over his shoulder and casted over him and her the spell Invisibility. It would look strange and rather shady if he was seen carrying an unconscious girl back to his apartment. Not only that but his landlord was a total dick when it came to girls at Malist apartment. Malist arrived at his apartment with no issue and set Musubi down on his bed so that she may be comfortable. His apartment was filled with various things either brought with him in his Inventory or he made himself to try and give it a sense of home for him. It ended up looking much like his first home in Riften once he had filled it up with stuff. Aela and Serena both agreed that it was probably unhealthy for him to do this but he didn't care. It reminded him of what was his true home and that was important to him. He waited nearby reading, Lord of the Rings, it was one of the few stories that he had found to be of his interest in this world. This world called it Fantasy but it was far more closer to reality for him than the current world he was living in. At the sounds of Musubi stirring awake he looked up from his reading of Aragon fight the Nazgul.

"Are you okay… do you need something for your head?" Malist asked as he put the book to the side.

"Food… so… hungry…" Musubi said weakly as she reached out for something. Malist got up and took out a few premade sandwiches from his fridge and handed them over to Musubi. She quickly began to munch on them with great vigor. He walked back to his chair and grabbed it and placed it closer to his bed so the two of them could speak.

"When was the last time you ate?" Malist said clearly concerned over the pace the girl was eating.

"I don't remember…" She slightly sobbed with a cutesy face full of food. "Oh Malistantius I owe you everything, how am I ever going to repay you. Not only did you save me but you gave me food too."

"It's fine… I have pliantly of food so eat all you want." He said perfectly aware that if he ever needed to, he could just steal food. Money wasn't that big of an issue, Aela won't ever let the man hat had been her Harbinger starve. Or at least he hoped that she wouldn't.

"Okay." Musubi sobbed before returning to her eating. But then soon stopped as she looked around his apartment. "Wow… this place is cool… it's like something from way back in time."

"Thank you… I think… most of this stuff holds a lot of meaning to me. almost all the furs are from beasts I hunted and skinned myself." He said with a proud smile on his face. That was not entirely true but he liked to think it was. But then the sight of her tearing up wiped the smile off his face.

"You mean you killed poor fluffy animals Malistantius?" She asked with tears in her eyes.

"No! I only hunted down big bad beasts that threatened to hurt people if they weren't taken care of. I have never hurt anything that couldn't defend itself." He defended and it looked to be able to turn around the girl's opinion of the subject. " _Besides… the idea of hunting small game in Skyrim is boring._ " He added in his head while smiling guiltily off to the side. "Like that one…" He said pointing to a massive bear skin that draped off the side of the wall. "… I worked for a group that was sometimes called to kill off bears and other big beasts that could hurt people. I got that pelt of the bear that was my first job all alone with them. It was a nasty bear that had killed two children, but I stopped it." He had been told that story to by Aela, it was one of his favorites as it was able to give him back a small memory of Kodlak telling him he did a good job. The grandfatherly man was someone that he knew was important to him.

"Wow… you're like a hero Malistantius." Musubi said with stars in her eyes at hearing him be so heroic. That made Malist blush a bit, he still didn't think of himself as a hero… even though that was his dream. To be a hero once again like he had been back in Skyrim. So hearing this girl call him that… it really meant a lot to the young Dovahkiin.

"I told you… call me Malist. It's a lot easier." He sighed as he brushed off the comment. He also really preferred people calling him that nickname due to the fact no one had been able to pronounce it correctly. They always said it Mal-ist-ant-ius when it was pronounced Mal-ist-an-tius. It was just easier on his ears if people just said the part they could get right.

"Okay, but umm… Malist… we need to talk. Could… uh… stay here for the night? I don't really have anywhere else to go." She said looking down at the floor not wanting to look at his face if he said no. She didn't see the look of blank dramatic phase Malist was giving her. He had already planned on keeping her here until either she had given the information he needed to seek out this new powered people. Or they came for her and he could protect her from danger and thus prove his heroics.

"Sure… so long as your quiet and don't burn down the place it's fine with me." At that she looked up in grateful happiness.

"Thanks so much, you've saved me once again." She said excitedly causing Malist to smile a tad. This girl simply had a small effect on him, she just had this air around her that just felt so vibrantly honest he could help but relaxed by it.

"It's no issue, but I need to know why… hm…" He stopped as she leaned in closer to him seemingly unaware of things like social boundaries.

"You're so wonderful, kind and brave… I just wish someone like you would be my Ashikabi.' That was a title for people of impotence in some kind of exciting and not normal world. Malist could tell, she said it with all the meaning that he would when speaking of him being the Dragon Born. Although the level of importance might be a little different.

"And… what is this… Ashikabi?" Malist was really interested now. This could be his way back into a life where the bland and boring did not belong. " _A life that I need, if I have to spend another year being so nobody I'm going to go insane._ "

"The special one I'm supposed to find." She said before taking Malist hand, bringing it closer to her. Malist just let her do as she wanted. One part of his brain was looking for information and the other was slightly freaking out over the fact a cute girl was so close and touching him. He was a teenager after all "I've been looking so long for mine. Even though we've never met our Ashikabi's are the ones we were born to serve. It's our job to guide them… to the higher sky above." She said as she brought Malist's hand to her breast. For what reason he had no clue and at that moment he didn't really care. His brain was working over time trying to keep him from looking like a complete dumbass while the other side was going _YAY! BOOB!_

"Uh yeah… okay listen we should get to sleep soon so you can have the bed while I sleep on the floor." Malist quickly said as he took his hand away and walked over to one of the nearby cabinets and took out a few blankets and pillows that he kept away for when Eirk needed a place to stay for a night. Normally it was him that was on the floor and not Malist but this wasn't that situation. "Good night." Malist said quickly before wrapping himself in the blankets. " _I touch a girl's chest and I get all flustered and embarrassed! That's not how the Dovahkiin should act, I never got embarrassed back in Nirn. I… oh fuck… whatever… it happened you stupid moron. Damn you_ _Sheogorath!_ "

-o0o-

Serana entered the apartment of the de-aged Dovahkiin quietly. The former Thieves Guild Master was a paranoid one and that had kept true for the young Malist. But Serana was far superior in her ability into gain entrée than his ability to try to keep people out of his home. She had done this back when he had built traps into his homes and wards that required the use of many Soul Gems, both of such things he was not able to use now.

Her glowing red eyes scanned the small apartment, Malist was sleeping on the floor and the girl he had brought with him was in his bed. Just like Malist, Serana was intrigued by the strangeness that surrounded the events of the day before. She was not as needful for the excitement that Malist now craved to prove his legacy of being the Dovahkiin, so her interest was far more objective.

" _Even back in Nirn you were always driven. The idea of adventure always brought a smile to your face_." Serana thought to herself as she glided over to her companion. The two had known each other the least in terms of time for the four that had come to this world from Nirn, but the bond between them was in her opinion the strongest.

Aela and him were brother and sister in arms, both loving battle and the celebration after. But the two were not nearly as close as they used to be, it had started when Malistantius decided to rid himself of the Werewolf curse and she kept it. They still were close friends and companions but… they were no longer the packmates they had been.

Eirk was a classic fanboy of the Dovahkiin. While he was a very good warrior and had saved Malistantius' life many times, he still held the man on a height that no one could ever touch. It was a master student relationship without the teaching component. Given that Malistantius and Malist alike preferred range combat above all else. He was a master mage and one of the best bowmen in all of Skyrim. Only ever using daggers in close combat. Eirk on the other hand was all about heavy armor and great swords. Which worked well when the two them fought together.

But Serana honestly thought she and him were the closest out of the four. The only one that might be closer to the Dovahkiin would be Ralof, and she knew why. The two had been though the whole civil war together and survived Alduin attack on Helgen. But she and the Dragon Born had been through much as well, maybe not as much but it had been quite the ride. Fighting her own family and saving the world from endless darkness. She then continued to follow the Imperial, he at first was just an interest to her. What they had been through with her family had brought her attention to him beyond just a tool to finish her father off for good, and so she followed him on his adventures. All the time being quiet and observant, and a silent bond of understand and respect had formed between them.

And now they were in this new and bland world. Seemingly devoid of the adventure that Malistantius lived off of. But now, something had shown itself. These new powerful beings in the form of two twins who commanded lightning and a girl with amazing strength. Serana knew Malistantius, she knew that he was going to find his way to the heart of this new development. And if his track record showed anything… he was going to end up saving the world by the end of it. Time would only tell if this rule held true for Malist as well.

Serana then moved from hovering above Malist to tip toeing over to the girl alone in his bed. She was young, around Malist current age. Malist had gotten sevreal tests done and everything showed that he was both physically and surprisingly mentally in many regards. The girl was soundly asleep and it would be so easy for Serana to cut her throat and kill her. Serana smiled as she pulled back the blade she had in hand, not leaving a mark on the girl's neck. Malist was all that was left of her friend. He had retained much from his former self, both in his skills and many of his personality. But he also carried a few of scars that weren't so easily seen. Scars that had been caused by loss, pain, and despair.

"Maybe you can finally fix the wound to the Dovahkiin's heart. Maybe you can make him move forward and on to a life of true love and happiness." It was strange for a vampire to be wishing for anyone to have such a life, but the young man that used to be her greatest friend was different to anyone else. And with that Serana disappeared into shadow letting the two sleep for the night undisturbed.

-o0o-

Malist was walking down the side walk trying to figure out just how he was going to get some money. He told Musubi that he was going to the bank to get money for dinner but he wasn't sure if he would have the money. He thought about that plan he had for robbing it. It was one of his various idea for proving that he was in fact the Dovahkiin. The only reason why he didn't do it was not because he couldn't, with his Nightingale gear and skills he could rob any bank in the world. The only thing holding him back was the idea that he would be stealing from normal innocents, and while he honestly had no issue with steal from anyone he wanted to prove he was a hero. That was what he wanted above all else, to be a hero. He wanted it more than proving he was still as skilled and capable as the Dragon Born of Nirn was.

"Oh Brynjolf… you would hate to see my coffers so dry." Malist chuckled as he thought back to his friends in the Thieves Guild. That was where things all started for him back in his old life. He had moved from the core Imperial lands to Riften in hopes of getting away from his over bearing family. He hadn't lived much of a life before hand and was hoping to just have a quiet life away from it all back home. How wrong was he in thinking he wanted the quiet life. Brynjolf picked him out the day he arrived in Riften, and was able to convince him to join up with the Thieves Guild. That was where Malistantius found his love of anything but a quiet life. From joining the Guild in full, to being betrayed by Mercer Frey, to joining the Nightingales, to becoming Guild Master. Then things took a turn for the worst when he got caught on the border of Skyrim coming home from a meeting with a sister guild in Blackmarsh. But then that's when the whole Dovahkiin thing got started and a whole new life of adventures opened up to him.

But now he wasn't the Guild Master of the Thieves Guild, nor the Dovahkiin… well… he was that last one still. Just he wasn't in a world where that meant much. Other than being able to use Thu'um. Which he didn't do much of these days given that he didn't want to draw that much attention to himself. The idea of him being strapped to a lab table had been a threat learned early on in coming to this world. And now he was just some nobody, but not for long… he had a small glimmer of hope. And as he was walking he heard something that he knew would bring him closer to that hope.

"… having its grand reopening. And your all invited." Malist smiled at the sight of the two lightning twins handing out flyers. It was funny to him that they needed day jobs.

"Isn't this a nice surprise." He announced himself to the two women he looked surprised to see him. "Love the outfits." He joked as he scowled at him.

"Hey, you're that guy that ran off with that Sekirei." The twin in the blue maid outfit said as they fully recognized him form yesterday.

" _So… Musubi is a Sekirei… but are they the same or am I looking at two separate races fighting each other_." Malist thought to himself as he tried to gather as much information as he could on the situation. Information was power after all, that held true in any world you were in.

"Where's the Sekirei at pal?" The other twin asked with a slightly less irritated but no less stern tone. Malist was about to give back a well done lie about how he had no idea, but then…

"Hey Malist!" He turned back his head at the sound of Musubi calling for him. He saw the girl running down the street toward him. "Silly me I forgot to ask what you wanted to have for dinner tonight." She said with a completely unaware smile on her face, clearly having no idea that she was running toward people that wanted to do her harm.

"Oh damn… this is going to complicate things." Malist grumbled as this new development showed itself. Musubi stopped once she did in fact she the two twins begin to ready themselves with their lightning sparking around them.

"This is the second day in a row you've run into us."

"This city is pretty small." Malist eyed the area around them as the twins tried to intimidate Musubi. There were far too many bystanders for his tastes. If he were to use anything to flashy it would cause him problems later. But that line of thinking did make him wonder, this two girls had no issue showing off their powers and did that mean they had some kind of backing that protected them. Either way if they did or didn't he and Musubi needed to get to a more secluded area.

"It's you two again!" Musubi took a step back and tried to block the incoming lightning strike but she fell back onto the ground at the sudden flash of light. But then to her surprise the actual attack never came. She looked up and saw that a dome of shadowy black and red light was blocking the incoming lightning. She also saw Malist holding his hand up to the center of the dome and in the palm of his hand was a orb of flowing black and red light.

"You got to be kidding, this guy is a Sekirei too?!" The more aggressive twin growled at the sight of the shielding dome.

"What, no." Malist answered for them. "I'm just a normal human with a bit of mastery of the Conjuring Magicka." Malist chuckled as the Shield Dome Spell dissipated. "I'm also the last in the line of Dragon Born. Let me show you a bit of that. **FUS RO DAH!** " Malist Shouted and a wave unrelenting force exploded outward toward the two twins sending them back a few feet and staggered from the force of the Shout. Musubi was speechless at Malist power and his willingness to defend her.

"Something is happening… my body… it's feel strange…" Musubi was having a hard time thinking straight as her own body began sending her singles she didn't fully understand.

" _There we go… they should be able to follow us. This is so fun! I'm actually in a fight with powerful beings and using Thu'um like a Real Dovahkiin would!_ " Malist thought as he looked down to Musubi who looked pretty out of it for the moment. Malist ignored that as right now she was in danger and he needed to get her out of harms way for the time being. The best way he could do that was getting to place where he could fight properly.

"Malist… what are… ah!" Musubi was interrupted by Malist picking her up off the ground into his arms.

"We need to get away from here." He said as he watched the twins start to recover from his Shout. "Hold on, this is going to get a little fast." Before she could ask what that meant, Malist Shouted again. " **WULD NAH KEST!** " She felt the two of them speed forward, as if being pulled by some storm of force. They ended up at the end of the street where Malist quickly turned down a unused alley. Musubi still looked like she was having a hard time breathing for some reason and her face was getting very red. The reason behind this Malist had no idea what it could be. "Are you okay… you look like you might be…" Malist was interrupted by Musubi pushing herself onto his chest. She held on to his jacket for support.

"Help me… I don't know what's happening… my body is so hot and it just keeps getting hotter." She said as she continued to push herself closer to the increasingly confused and flustered Malist.

"If you're sick I can see what I…" At that moment the two of them fell to the ground with Musubi on top of Malist, and with his hand on her right breast. "… I'm so sorry, I did not…" He stopped his quick and frantic apology her hand grabbing on to his and holding it where it was.

"Malist… your touch…" Musubi breathed out as she began to inch closer to Malist.

"This… is new for me." Malist was trying to figure out the chain of events that had brought him to this point but his mind wasn't fully active nor working at its finest.

"Aw… are we interrupting?" He looked back and saw that the twins had caught up with them and each was now at both ends of the alley. Blocking off any exit. Malist would be fine with this given that he knew he could take both of them on but currently the young Dovahkiin wasn't in a tactical mindset.

"Both of you are trapped like rats, so give up." The other twin said as they both took a step forward toward Musubi and Malist. However, Malist could tell that Musubi wasn't even aware of the danger she and… mostly she was in. All of her focus seemed to be on him.

"Musubi… we need to…" He stopped at Musubi getting even closer to him, her lips inches away from his. Some part of him heard the twins panic but that part was deafened by the rest of him figuring out what was about to happen. And then it did, Musubi leaned in and kissed him. It was then followed by a burst of pink energy all around them. Centered around ten wings of pink energy springing from Musubi and her being enveloped in the light, which seemed to be causing no small amount of almost sexual based pleasure.

"No way… of all the places she could have emerged it had to be here."

"And we almost had her too." Malist wasn't really listening to the twin complaining. The sheer amount of energy that was being given off by Musubi actually was given him a large buzz. The energy was very Magicka like and was effecting him more than it would a human without the large connection to Magicka like Malist had. This caused him to be unable to stop the twin in blue from pulling him back away from Musubi and hold him back with a sparking finger aimed at his face.

"Now that's she's emerged there's nothing we can do about it. But we can do something about the guy cocky enough to get in our way. So where's that fancy power now huh?" She mocked but Malist was still a little drunk on the intense power Musubi had been giving off.

"Let Malist go!" Musubi called out as the light died away leaving her standing and fully ready for battle.

"So you got tough all of a sudden?" The twin holding Malist said as she looked back at Musubi.

"I said let him go." Musubi all but demanded.

"And if I don't… what are you going to do about it?" Musubi responded by rushing forward at inhuman speed, pulling back her fist ready to pummel the twin holding Malist. Said twin threw the young man to the side and unleashed a torrent of lightning onto the incoming Musubi. This resulted in a explosion and when the dust settled Musubi was nowhere to be seen.

"Heads up Hikari." The other twin called to her sister. She looked up and was able to form a shield of lightning to block the incoming fist strike from Musubi. It soon because a battle of power with both sides pushing back against the other.

"Not bad, you can really challenge my sister and I." Hikari said before detonating her shield throwing Musubi back and temporarily blinding her. When Musubi was able to see again the twin was gone and had escaped with her sister to the top of the building at the end of the alley. "But we don't fight those that already emerged."

"Well good luck guiding your guy to the higher sky above." The other twin said in a slightly mocking tone before both flew off. Musubi ignored them and looked back to Malist who was leaning back against a wall, his head still swaying around as his mind was currently rousted.

"Malist! Are you okay… what's wrong?" She cried a she looked him over trying to understand just why he was acting like this.

"Calm down girl… he will be fine." Musubi turned around a saw a woman with glowing red eyes under a heavy hood walking toward them. Musubi stood to defend Malist but that just made the woman chuckle. "Don't even think about it girl, I have fought beings far greater than you. With him at my side I might add." The woman said looking down at Malist. Hearing that she knew Malist on some level Musubi wearily stepped aside.

"What are you going to do to him?" Musubi asked with clear worry in her voice.

"Just sober him up… whatever you did seems to have affected him in the same way a hard night of booze would. I'm actually impressed, he's always been a very good drinker… or at least he was." The woman said as she kneeled down next to Malist and… reached into some kind of portal and pulled out a glass bottle filled with a brown liquid.

"Wow… where did that come from?" Musubi asked as she stared at the magically appeared bottle.

"It's a spell called Storage, makes for carrying around lot of sometimes needless stuff easy." She explained as she opened Malist jaw and poured the liquid in the bottle down his throat. She emptied the whole thing before pulling away. It took a few second but eventually Malist coughed a bit before looking better.

"Damn it Serana… you couldn't have just let me work off my buzz off like a normal person could you… oh… wait…" Malist said as he remembered that it wasn't a normal buzz he just sobered from.

"Yes, Malist… besides… it's not like you could legally get drunk anyways." Serana chuckled before standing back up with Malist following. "So… do you remember what happened with this girl?" Serana asked look at Musubi who was just happy that Malist was fine again.

"Yes… I do… what of it?" He said doing his best to hide his small blush at the memory of the kiss.

"Only known her for less than a full two days and already hit first and from what I saw second base… naughty naughty Dovahkiin." Serana joked as she was greatly amused at this turn of events. " _Yes… I do think I was right in letting this one go_."

"Oh stop treating me like I'm nineteen… because I'm not." He said like a spoiled brat being given a lecture. He was the Dovahkiin and he had just started to prove that he was just as deserving of that tile as he was back in Skyrim.

"No… you are Malist. In every way you have become Malist and are no longer Malistantius Caeraso. That man has been lost to time and space. His body given your youth, his mind forever sealed away behind a fog of unknowing. All that is left of him is the stories we know, the ideal you dream to gain again, and the skills he passed down to you. You are more Malistantius Caeraso's son than the man himself." Serana stated.

"You do know how insane that sounds right… I'm my own son?" While on the surface Malist was angry at the insinuation that he wasn't the man he used to be anymore. But deep down Serana had hit his deepest fears right on the head. Even if she had done so in a very bizarre metaphor.

"Given that this is the work of the Daedra of madness and chaos… yes… I'd say it fits. The facts are as such… your body and mind can no longer considered to be thirty three anymore… you are nineteen. You must accept it." Serana said before focusing on Musubi who had been thrown into a storm of confusion by what had been said. "And you…" Serana said as she turned to Musubi. "… from what I was able to gather from events and what was said. You have somehow bonded with Malist in some way correct?"

"Yes, I'm now his Sekirei and he is my Ashikabi." Musubi said fully happy with the turn of events. Malist had been so kind to her so for him to be her Ashikabi was wonderful to her.

"I won't pretend like I understand the meaning behind those words. But I do hope that you take care of Malist. He's all that's left of a great man that I respected and admired."

"I really wish you wouldn't talk about me like that…" Malist grumbled as an air of depression hung above him. "I'm the Dovahkiin damn it… I'm supposed to be a hero."

"You keep telling yourself that Malist and it may one day come true." Serana waved off as she started down the alley and flew away in a burst of bats. Musubi's eyes went wide at the sight while Malist continued to grumble about what Serana had said.

"Malist! How did she do that! One second she was walking and then poof… she turned into a whole bunch of bats and flew away!" Musubi asked her Ashikabi excitedly.

"She's a vampire." Malist said bluntly as he began to walk out of the alley. His head still hurting from the sobering drought Serana had given him.

"NO WAY!" Musubi yelled out as she flailed her arms in shock at that information.

"Yes… now let's head home. My head is killing me and I need something to fix that."

-o0o-

Malist was currently on the roof of his apartment building. It was a little tricky to do so but he did it. He gripped in his hands his two Daedric daggers, _Grim_ and _Despair_ , and eyed the Frost Atronach in front of him. The summoned being made no move and that is what Malist needed right now. He just needed it to remain still while Malist did a bit of training.

Malist rushed the Atronach and made flurry of slashes at its frozen body. He continued the attacks, each came one after the other. Malist personal did not like to fight up close but he recognized the fact he couldn't always avoid it. So he trained in daggers, Vex had showed him how to fight dirty and other tricks… but by the end of it she had given up. Malistantius had proven that the last Dragon Born sucked at anything that involved with getting up close and personal in a fight. That is where _Grim_ and _Despair_ came into the picture. Malistantius had created these two Daedric Daggers with special Enchantments and doubled his speed and talent with blades. With hem he became decent at close combat fighting, without them he sucked.

"Sixty seven cuts in under a minute… damn… I need to improve if I'm going to be fighting Sekirei that can get in close really fast like Musubi can." Malist grumbled as he stepped back from his work. He noted every cut made to the walking and moving ice block. "No… sixty eight… Divines… even my eyes need improving."

"WOW! That's so cool." He turned around and saw Musubi climbing up onto the roof. "What is that… and you were moving so fast and those daggers look so sharp and… evil looking." Musubi excitement dipped at closer look at _Grim_ and _Despair_. Malist chuckled at that very apt description. They were after all Daedric weapons. The blades still felt warm to the touch from the inclusion of the heart of a Daedra in their making.

"Yeah, but they are some of the best tools for what they need to do." He said ominously as he placed the two daggers back into his Inventory with the Storage Spell. "Do you need something Musubi?" Malist said turning to the Frost Atronach and banishing it. Causing the being to melt into a puddle of water.

"I wanted to tell you that dinner is almost ready." She said as her smile returned to her face. Malist had been watching her demeanor since returning back to his home. And while on the surface t didn't look like Musubi had changed much, she was still as happy and peppy as before but now, there were clear undertones to her behavior toward him that he was able to pick up. There was an air of loyalty and even small waves of subservience toward him now.

" _Is this how all Sekirei act toward their Ashikabi. That… could be very dangerous. Blind loyalty toward someone just for… winging them as she called it… that is a dangerous system. How easily could Musubi ended up in the hands of some dumbass that would treat her like dirt. The idea that someone as honest as her in that situation… I'm going to be Shouting people to pieces aren't I._ " Malist thought to himself as he helped Musubi back down the apartment. They both entered and Malist returned to the small table he had for eating and Musubi went back to finishing up their meal. Malist played with a knife in his hands as he continued to think about the bits of information he had been able to gather. But he was irritated at the fact he still had lots of holes in the bigger picture. And then, his Nightingale luck showed itself again.

"TADA!" The small TV Malist kept around but rarely used turned on and a silver haired man in a ridiculous white suit appeared on TV. Both Malist and Musubi turned to the TV. "Hello my dear boy you've just become partners with a Sekirei, congratulations."

"Professor!" Musubi said excitedly as she moved in front of the TV. Malist meanwhile eyed the nearby dinner and was more concerned if their meal was going to get burned. But noting the low temperature of the stove he didn't worry too much.

"Musubi, I assume you know this guy?" Malist said as he returned his attention to the scene in front of him.

"Of course, he's my professor and the company president." Musubi cheerfully explained.

"If you don't know who I am…" Malist really didn't but he had an idea. "… then you really should watch the news more often. Malistantius Caeraso." At that Malist narrowed his eyes. The few people outside of Aela, Eirk, and Serana that knew him knew him as Malist. That meant that this man likely had access to databases where Malist legal name was stored. "The Dovahkiin really should be more observant." And now this man had his full attention.

"How. Do. You. Know. That. Word?" Malist growled out. There were only four people… he guessed now five if you included Musubi, that knew that word. It was not a word found in any language of this planet and the odds of him learning it on the planet it did come from was unlikely. Unless he was also form Nirn but then he would be far more respectful to Malist. That suggested he got the information from one of his companions.

"Ha… there's nothing that I don't know my dear boy." Malist snarled at that not answer. It reeked of something a Daedra would say. And certain Daedra at that, one that was far more annoying than most. "The Sekirei plan… that's the name of the game of which you have become a major player in as of today." The man said smiling as he spoke. "You are a Ashikabi, the partner of your Sekirei. Sekirei are to soon be engaging in a secret war between each other and will fight one another until only one is left standing. Those are the basic rules of the game, she fights and you make sure you or her don't die."

"I see… well… things I guess are finally getting interesting." Malist said with a half angry and pleased smile. Things were indeed getting more interesting but at the same time this man unnerved Malist in a way that he didn't like.

"Yes my dear boy… your days of boredom and monotony are over. You may now prove to world that you are indeed worthy to hold the name you claim." Before Malist could remark at that the man continued to speak. "But there is one last thing I must say… this game is a highly confidential project. So keep your mouth shut about it or else." A vain popped out of the Dovahkiin's forehead at the threat. "Or perhaps there might be a few tanks showing up on your doorstep ready to take you away to see if we can't figure out what makes Magicka work. Now if you will excuse me I'm quite busy so you will have to excuse me now. And take care of yourself number eighty eight AKA Musubi."

"Yes professor." At that the TV turned off leaving Malist and Musubi once again alone.

"That man… annoys me." Malist grumbled to himself.

"Malist… the Professor called you the Dovahkiin… what does that mean?" Musubi said as she turned back to her Ashikabi.

"It means that I have the blood and soul of a dragon. I can speak the tongue of the dragons called the Thu'um. Where I come from I am called the last Dovahkiin, as I am the first one to be born in many ages. But it worries me that this man even knows that word much less its meaning."

"Whys that?"

"Because it's a word that doesn't belong to this world." Malist said as he stood up from his chair and walked over to his bookshelf. He pulled out a black book with a diamond shaped dragon symbol on the front. "This is the Book of the Dragonborn. It tells the history of my kind and ending the prophecy of the last dragonborn saving the world of Nirn from the World-Eater Alduin. First son of Akatosh and mightiest of the dragons. And it was me that killed him… or at least a version of me." Malist said with a sad tone that Musubi instantly picked up on. "I am the last Dragonborn and more importantly I am not from this world. I come from a place called Nirn, more specifically the continent known as Tamriel. It is a world of magic and what this world would consider fantasy. Still in a very medieval age, with little sign of advancement." He took a moment before looking back to Musubi. "This all sounds crazy to you doesn't it?" He said fully expecting Musubi to call him insane or react in some similar fashion.

"Not at all." That surprised him. "You are my Ashikabi, I have complete trust in you." She said with sunny look in her eye that left little doubt in Malist that she honestly believed him. He didn't know if that was a good or bad thing considering what he had told her and how crazy it sounded. But he chose for some reason to take on the more positive side.

"Thank you, not many people would be so ready to believe me. Even after seeing what I can do." Malist sighed and looked back to their cooking dinner. "You should probably finish that before…" Malist was interrupted by the sound of the door knocking. He narrowed his eyes and glared at the door. " **Laas**..." Malist whispered and to his vision came everyone around him as bright red spots even through the walls of the apartment and any building. Outside there was a fairly huge man holding something. Now that he knew it wasn't his land lord Malist got up and went to open the door. There was indeed a large man in a suit, and the second Malist opened the door he dropped a large box in Malist hands and shut the door. "That was rude." He said as he walked back to Musubi and dropped the box in front of her. He pulled out a small steel dagger from his inventory and opened the box.

"Oh yay… they sent more of my clothes." Musubi cheered as she pulled out some spares of her standard outfit.

"They seem so… I guess am more used to something more practical." Malist said as he looked over the outfits, if what Musubi was wearing was what she planned on wearing into battle then he was going to be a little worried.

"You don't think they look cute…" Musubi sobbed with tears in her eyes.

"I didn't say that… it's just… when I think of combat attire I don't think… well…" Malist said trying his best not to upset the Sekirei more. "You are a close range fighter, but at the same time you can't go in with anything too heavy because of the style of fighting you use. But what you use is more in line with what a mage would wear… here… I'll show you what I generally wear into combat." At that Malist changed his clothes in a instant, gone were his red t-shirt, black jacket, and jeans. Now he wore the Ebony Mail with Dragonscale boots and armguards. Around his body was a sleeveless black open robe made out of the hide of an elder dragon and had been enchanted by some of the best mages in the College of Winterhold to help with all kinds of casting. And then the Dragon Priest Mask of Konahrik covered his face with the hood of his robe over his head. "See, this is the armor I wear when I fought in battle. I mostly stay back and use magic and my bow at range, but this armor is special, it allows for the best amount of movement for the amount of armor it provides. I have done my best to improve and enchant it to the best my ability and money could buy."

"Wow, it looks so cool." Musubi said as she looked on in awe at the battle form of her Ashikabi. Though she did not like the Mask, she liked Malist's face and didn't want it covered up.

"It's actually very lucky that you are a close combat fighter, this way we can both play to each other's strength. You keep anyone we fight busy while rain down arrows and magic from a safe distance." At that Musubi looked a little sad and look to the floor.

"Well… I'm happy you want to help but… Sekirei are supposed to fight one on one battles."

"Is that an established rule that would get us kicked out?" Malist said as he changed back into his casual clothes.

"No… it's just… something that is expected of us."

"Always play dirty." Malist said playfully as he leaned in to Musubi. "You want to win right, then do what it takes to win."

"I will win. I promise… I will fight for you and win. And then you and I will ascend into the higher sky above together." She said with complete conviction and belief that she could make that come true.

" _Already been there done that… but I wonder what this world's Sovngarde is like?"_ Malist thoughts on the matter however evaporated at the sound of his door opening.

"I knew it." Malist's face soured at the hearing of that gravely and irritating voice. He turned around and saw his land lord standing behind the opened door to his apartment. Malist's lease on his apartment stated that he would not bring women back to his place for any type of relations. It was a rule that quite honestly the Dovahkiin found degrading to him, but it was common addition to lease's in the city and this apartment was the best one for the price. But then Malist thought about the new fact that Musubi would have to live with him, and thus this opened up a fun little opportunity to mess with the ugly bastard that was his land lord.

"This is exactly as it looks." Malist said throwing the older man off for a moment. "I brought this girl back home with the full intention of ravishing her body in all manners of amoral and kinky ways. To cause her to scream my name to the heavens in orgasmic ecstasy." Malist gave his little speech without the barest hint of shame or doubt that he had planned anything but. And Malist's land lord… looked like he was going to have a heart attack from the sheer amount of anger building up.

"GET OUT! I WANT YOU AND YOUR FLOOSY WHORE OUT OF THIS PLACE BY TOMARROW MORNING! AND IF I HEAR ANYTHING HAPPENING TONIGHT I'M CALLING THE COPS!" He raged before slamming the door in Malist smirking face.

"That was fun…" Malist chuckled before turning back to his Sekirei who to his surprise wasn't the least bit embarrassed of affected by his words.

"Malist, did you mean all those things you said?" She asked, Malist was genuinely very confused at the tone. It was a normal Musubi happy to it but also… expecting… no that wasn't it, it was as if what he had said was completely within the expectations she had concerning their relationship. But in way that was slightly indifferent, like it didn't matter if sex was involved between the two or not. Her feelings concerning him would remain the same regardless.

"Uh… not really…" He said in a unsure manner as her reaction had thrown him off. He knew that as the Hero of Skyrim he had women thrown themselves at him for a long time, the nineteen-year-old sorta wished that some of those memories would come back to him, but these women had been unlike Musubi. They had the intention of getting into his bed while Musubi simply accepted anything that came, it was strange to him. "… that old bastard is just a big prude and I wanted to leave this place with a bang… heh… wrong choice of words." He chuckled even harder at the unexpected joke. One that Musubi didn't exactly get but from context had a pretty good idea. "Anyways, I'm not going to force myself on you or make you do anything you don't want you." He waved off before starting to go through his apartment placing his things into his Inventory. But as he did so… his mind wandered to the idea of actually going through with his joke. Musubi was clearly on board with the idea and this seemed to be a expected aspect of a Ashikabi and Sekirei relationship. But that mare fact alone gave him pause, it felt too much like he would be abusing the situation. So he for now he kept it as a joke… in reality. His mind however was perfectly fine. But as he began to let his imagination run a little wild… something hit him with all the force of a Giant's club to the face.

A total unexpected wave of pure guilt and loss washed over him and killed any thought about Musubi. Malist had no clue why he suddenly felt this way… it didn't change how he felt about Musubi… just made him unable to think about her in any sort of sexual way. It felt like doing so was betraying something or to be more accurate as that felt too active a word, it felt like he was crossing a line he knew shouldn't be crossed. It didn't feel like it was because of the bond shared between them, if anything that bond was actively making the counter argument. This felt like it had to do with him, something about him and his former life.

Malist had only felt this way one time before but it was slightly different. It was when Serana and Aela had _encouraged_ him to try and find a girlfriend to help him move on from Nirn. It didn't work, he was handsome and could talk to women just fine. He just found the whole idea to be pointless. None of the women in this world that he had seen met his idea of a good romantic partner. He was of the opinion that the women of Skyrim were far superior given that many of them knew hardship living in that tough and unforgiving land, it built a kind of character that was lacking here. He was sure there were probably women out there that did in fact meet that type of character, this world did hold its share of hardship and tough living. He just didn't find any women that lived through that in the places that Serana and Aela had practically dragged him to. Musubi had become something of an exception to his normal preferences, it was mostly her honesty and seemingly unshakable faith in him. It… helped to know that someone did in fact believe in him. Crazy backstory and all.

He did eventually find one woman that caught his interest when Serana and Aela forced him to date, she was a American that had been transferred to one of the military bases in Japan. She had seen war and lived through it and had an air of confidence one only gains in life and death situations. They had hit it off a bit but once they had started moving the prospect of a night together… just like now something had hit him. And he couldn't find in himself to go through with it. It had been a disappointment to himself but the event seemed to have given Serana and Aela the message as they stopped all speaking of the idea of dating and girlfriends after that. The suddenness of their change in attitude was a little strange but he didn't think much of it.

But now this whatever it was that was affecting him was interfering with his bond with his Sekirei. And in the sort span of knowing Musubi he had come to… care for her. How much was yet to be seen but he did. He felt something for his Sekirei and it was strange to him how solid that feeling was for him. He didn't feel that he should immediately declare his love for her, no that would be too sudden and he knew that doing so would do more harm than good. His feelings on the matter were all jumbled up and he needed time before doing, saying, or even admitting to himself anything of real merit. So for now… he would go with denial and awkwardness on this until he knew exactly what was going on in his head. But this guilt and loss he was feeling was major problem down the line in his relationship with her once Malist finally understood and accepted what he was going through.

-o0o-

The next day Malist and Musubi spent all day looking for a place that they could rent. But given that Malist had no job, no savings that he could legally claim, and all the places that were dirt cheap enough for him to afford without those two things all had the same singles rule as his previous place, he wasn't having much luck.

"Nocturnal is having a fun time playing keep away with my good luck." He grumbled as he sat down on a park bench. Musubi sitting next to him didn't say anything to the reference she didn't understand. "Maybe I should just steal something and get the cash to actually buy a place."

"But isn't stealing wrong?" Musubi asked naively.

"I'm going to tell you the motto of the Thieves Guild… shut up and steal something, we need the money." He said before hanging his head forward. "I really am such a loser… I can't… I can't even find a place to live. And yet once I did things only those in legends do." And as if things couldn't get worse… because they always did… it started to rain. "Thanks, Kynareth… great job there."

"Malist…" Musubi asked with a tone of concern.

"I used to be… thee hero. I used to be the one who saved everyone, saved the world… and now… I've failed a stupid college entrance exam twice and now I'm homeless. I don't think people can fall further than I have." Musubi watched her Ashikabi with sadness in her eyes. She didn't like to see him in this state. In the short time she had known him he had always been so made sure to look so confident and sure of himself. Musubi could tell that it was a act, that he had this weight of expectation on his shoulders. But he always made sure to put on a brave face for her. but now it looked like he was starting to buckle under the weight.

"You can't tell… but there's supposed to be a beautiful moon out tonight." She said looking up to the sky before looking back to the young man sitting next to her. "I don't think you've fallen. I think you're doing the best you can in a situation that you're still not used to. And to me, you'll always be a hero." Malist stirred from his depressing thoughts and was surprised by the kiss he received once he looked up. As the two kissed, Musubi's Sekirei wings materialized from her back as they had done when Malist emerged her. Though this time it lacked the overwhelming flood of Magicka like energy that would send Malist into a semi-drunken stupor. The wings faded away as Musubi pulled away and stood up from the bench. "I swear… I'll do anything for you, whatever you could possible wish for." She said before turning to the sky and reaching up to the clouds. "I would even break through those clouds to reach the moon. And someday… to the higher sky above." And then Malist watched in stunned silence as Musubi began glowing with pink energy. "By my fists of the contract, my Ashikabi's perils will be shattered." Musubi gave her prayer and then pulled Malist off the bench as a torrent of wind began circling around them. "Well, shall we go?" Musubi smiled as she and him began flying up into the air, riding on the wind circling around them. After getting over the initial shock of what was happening, Malist found himself laughing as he was being pulled up into the sky by his Sekirei. They soon hit past the clouds that blotted the sky and all they could see in the sky was the full moon in all its glory. "See… it's a beautiful moon just like I said."

" _She… really believes in me…_ " Malist couldn't help but feel better by this feeling of complete support and trust he was getting from his Sekirei. " _If she does so in me… then… I will make sure to make that belief isn't unfounded_."


	2. Chapter 2

"Uh… Musubi?" Malist asked as the two of them hanged in the sky. "Do you… have a plan for landing… safely?"

"Uh… not really… sorry." She said weakly before the two of them began falling down toward the ground.

"Oh shit! Please work please work please work." Malist pleaded as he prepared a Shout. " **DUR NEH VIIR!**... Damn it!" He cursed as the undead dragon Durnehviir was not summoned like Malist so desperately wished he would. The Ashikabi and Sekirei pair continued to fall straight down. "Come on… someone… anyone… help please!" Malist then saw something as they approached a tree that he hoped would break their fall and not skewer them. He saw what looked to be a ghost of same kind reaching out to him and then disappearing. It had been one of a small child with long hair. Malist wasn't able to think much on it as Malist and Musubi both crashed into the tree. It had been to his luck, Nocturnal had decided to give back his luck apparently, that it did not skewer them like he thought it would but soften the fall. "Ow… okay… need… health… potion… please…" Malist groaned before opening his eyes to see Musubi on top of him. "How are you doing Musubi, anything broken?"

"I'm fine… sorry Malist." Musubi said not getting up from her spot on top of him.

"Um, excuse me." Malist and Musubi both looked to the source and saw a woman standing nearby. "Hello there, who are you." She asked, her voice sounding more concerned than threatened by the intrusion of the two on her property.

"I'm Ma… arg… that hurts…" Malist groaned as he tried to move but found that his whole body had been bruised with the worst being a small gash on his leg.

"Oh my, your hurt." The woman said as she saw his injury.

"Malist! Are you okay?" Malist turned his head to see that Musubi had gotten off him but her clothes had been torn up by the fall though the tree.

"Musubi, please try to cover yourself." Malist said as a small blush formed across his face and he let his head hit back to the ground so he faced the sky. The clouds had cleared a bit and the moon was still a nice sight.

"Oh yeah… I think they got ripped a bit in the fall." She said without a bit of the normal shame that went along with being half naked in public.

"Why is it so noisy, what's going on out here?" Malist looked toward the sliding door that lead into the building on this lot and saw a fairly effeminate looking man standing in the door. "Oh… hello." He said as he saw Malist laying on the ground injured and Musubi with her clothes ripped to pieces.

"Kagari, can you please take this young man inside and fix him a bit. I'll take this young lady to get a new change of clothes." The woman said as she walked over to Musubi and helped her up. "Come on, I'm sure that I have something that can fit you."

"Is Malist going to be okay?" Musubi said looking back to her Ashikabi.

"Go… I'll be fine…" Malist said dismissively as he knew all he really needed was a healing potion from his Inventory and he would be all better. He LET himself be carried into the building by the man called Kagari where he was dropped off in a small room. The man came back with a first aid kit and quickly dressed the gash on Malist leg. Well enough that the young Dovahkiin felt all he really need after was a small potion of regeneration instead of the full health potion. "Thanks, I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

"Hey, don't worry about it. Besides I'm just doing what Miya asked me to do."

"So I have a name for my host now, thank you."

"By the way, what were the two of you doing out there and where did you come from?" Malist smiled at that question and decided… to give this man the truth.

"I come from a far away land." Malist said with a little over the top drama. "A place shrouded in mystery… magic… and dragons. A land of the bitters of colds and the hardest of men. I come from the land of…"

"If you don't want to tell that's fine." The man chuckled thinking what Malist was saying was a joke. "I guess there's no issue at leaving it that way." He said before the sounds of the nearby door sliding open.

"Malist, I barrowed a kimono what do you think?" Musubi asked as she entered the room wearing a bright but light red kimono. It did look quite nice on her.

"Wow, what can I say, its like a human flower garden." Kagari said before Malist spoke.

"It… looks good Musubi, and thank you for helping us." Malist said turning to Miya. "I'm sorry to impose, helping me and giving us your clothes."

"It's fine, I always like to help out where I can." She said with a sweat smile. "My husband was the exact same way." Malist was able to pick up on the past tense word and the same bit of sadness that was in that statement.

"I'm still sorry to impose and sorry for your loss." He said with a slight bow.

"Thank you but… it's been a long time. Oh I should introduce myself, I'm Miya, Miya Asama." She said with a small bow. "It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Malistantius Caeraso, it's nice to meet you. And please call me Malist."

"I'm Musubi." The two of them said as they returned the bow.

"Good to meet you, I'm Kagari." The man at the other end of the room said as he leaned against the nearby wall.

"Yes, and thank you once again for helping me." Malist said though he knew he didn't need the help at all.

"Oh… what's that smell?" Musubi said excitedly after sniffing the air and Malist also did catch something tasty in the air.

"I hope it's not terrible, because I'm cooking dinner. Would you two like to join us?" Miya asked the two of them seeing nothing wrong with inviting them.

"Are you sure, we just suddenly dropped on you and you've already helped us enough." Malist said hiding his cation as in his experience it was very rarely this easy in life. He had been told stories from both Erik and Aela that in Skyrim that in this situation they would be expecting this woman to be a vampire or a witch trying to draw them in. But this was not Skyrim and then the sound of Musubi's stomach growling decided things for the two anyways. And so soon they all were sitting at the table with food in front of them. Musubi was happily starting and enjoying the food as were the two residence of the building. Meanwhile… Malist was glaring at the food.

"Is there something wrong?" Miya asked once she noticed that Malist wasn't eating.

"Sorry… it's just… I'm… not the biggest fan of Japanese style of cooking. I prefer more… hardy and rugged food." He said staring at the plate of fish and rice. He really did prefer the more Skyrim style of diet of whole meat and bread. Often with mead and cheese. The stew that Musubi had made last night had been good though but it was really hard to mess up stew.

"Aw, I worked hard to prepare this meal. I did hope that you would enjoy the whole thing." Miya said sweetly but the aura of dreed and terror that surrounded her said something else entirely. Malist glared at her with beads of sweat rolling down his face as he tried his hardest not to be intimidated. "In this house, you eat what is set before you."

" _Scar Lady_!" Malist screamed in his mind. "Yes mam…" Malist said as he picked up the chop sticks and began eating. They started eating but stopped at the sound of someone coming down.

"Aww… I'm so hungry…" At that the owner of the voice opened the door and to Malist conflicting joy and irritating it was a very attractive girl in nothing but a bra and panties. "Oh… we have visitors.

"Uzume, how many times do I have tell you to not come out of your room dressed like that." Kagari complained.

"Hey, at least I'm wearing panties this time." Malist watched the interactions and was able to draw some conclusions about where it seemed that Musubi and him had landed. He did so as he tried his damn hardest to avoid looking at the half naked girl that had come into the room.

"Excuse me…" Malist said as he turned his head to Miya. "… but I'm I right, this is some kind of boarding house or hostel or something. Because none of you look like family so… just wondering." Miya chuckled a bit at Malist figuring it out.

"Yes, this is a boarding house and I'm the land lady. And you've already met a few of our tenants.

"Hey, the only thing that sucks is that this place is kinda beat up and wore down." The new girl to the dinner table Uzume said as she paused from her dinner. "Which means that only crazies and weirdos live here. So we're always looking for more normal tenants."

"Oh really…" Miya said as she turned to Uzume with that intense aura of terror and dread once again making a appearance. Malist had no idea where it was coming from as he knew that the humans of this world could not use Magicka so that wasn't it.

"Uh… I mean because this place has so much character we need a verity of types." Uzume said after buckling under the gaze of her scary land lady.

"Oh Please Great and Mighty Land Lady!" Malist groveled as he bowed his head to the floor. If there was one thing he knew, is that you are never too important to be above begging when you really needs something badly. Not that Malist counted as an important person… yet… hopefully… he could dream. "Please let this destitute wanderer lodging in your home, we have been kicked out of our home yesterday and are in need of residence." Malist said with his head to the floor.

"You poor thing, please raise your head." Malist smiled as he looked up. Groveling always works. "My husband, he believed in never turning anyone away."

"So the groveling was unneeded… but does that mean we can stay?"

"Yes, welcome home. To the Izumo Inn."

"You did it!" Musubi cheered as she rushed over to hug Malist. Who promptly raised his fist in the air in happiness.

"Yes I did, We will not be sleeping in a bus stop tonight!" He cheered as he knew he would never live such a thing down.

"Yay, we have a place to live." Musubi happily cheered as she continued to hug her Ashikabi.

-o0o-

"Here is your room." Miya opened the door for Malist and Musubi to the empty room. "I hope that you can overlook the dust, you wanted to move so quickly I wasn't able to have time to clean it."

"It's perfectly fine, we just really don't have anywhere to go so we need it right away." Malist said with a slight apologetic tone as Musubi ran in happy to have a place for them to live in.

"Don't you need to go back to your previous home and get your belongings?"

"Aheh… pretty sure that my former land lord would chase us out if we showed up again. But no, I was able to get all my stuff before he kicked us out."

"Well don't you need to go and get it all?" Miya asked as she looked around for any bags or suit cases.

"Don't you worry about that, you go do land lady stuff and I'll handle my stuff." Malist said slyly as he walked thought the door to the room and slowly closed it to a slightly confused Miya.

"Yay! Its decorating time!" Musubi cheered but then was silenced by Malist covering her mouth with his hand.

"SHHH… we don't know who is listening and watching."

Meanwhile… in a secret room in that same building. A young woman with long red hair surrounded by screens covering all sorts of things watched the two new tenants. The Ashikabi Malist had intrigued her, mainly by the mystery of him. There was only the barest of information on him anywhere on the net. A year ago he just materialized out of thin air. And he wasn't trying to forge some new identity, from what she gathered… he simply didn't exist in any way before a year ago. He was mystery that couldn't solve and that drew her in greatly… and then he showed off such power. With just his voice he blasted back two Sekirei and then ran off with such speed. And now this man would be living not two doors down from her.

"But what is he doing now?" She pondered as she watched he silence his Sekirei. "Paranoid much?" She joked but she admired his caution. She watched as four large blue crystals appeared in his hand. He then placed them at each of the four corners of the room and then chatted a few things in a language that none of her translation programs recognized. And then he returned to the middle of the room and with a snap of his fingers the screen went black. "WHAT THE HELL?!"

Back with Malist and Musubi.

"Um… Malist… what did you just do?"

"I just warded off this room to any outside detection and influence. Think of this room as its own separate space where nothing can get to us… unless it's people." Malist explained as Musubi walked over to the grand soul gem that was fueling the ward.

"So what are these things… their really pretty."

"They're soul gems, inside of each of them has trapped a grand soul of some beast or monster." Malist explained as he began dropping a few things out of his Inventory.

"Souls… are there… people in there?" Musubi asked with tears in her eyes at the thought of some person trapped in the gem.

"No… not in those." Malist looked off to the side before pulling out a black soul gem. "It's the black ones that have sentient beings in them."

"AYH… why do have that person's soul?!" Musubi cried as she was worried that her Ashikabi had stolen someone's soul.

"I didn't do it, I just found this one in some Necromancer's cave. I try to use the white souls as much as I can." He honestly didn't like the Black Soul Gems, he had one memory of the Soul Carin and he didn't make him feel any better about using the admittedly more powerful yet morally dubious Black Soul Gems.

"You're a kind person and I know you would never try to take someone's soul." Musubi said with complete confidence in the character of her Ashikabi. "I know that you…" Musubi was interrupted by the sound of Malist's bed falling on the floor.

"Ah… that felt good… that thing is heavy. Now help me push this thing into the corner."

"Okay!" Musubi cheered as she pushed the bedframe easily leaving Malist a little sadden by his own lack of strength compared to the girl. The two continued to place has much as the room would allow with it getting too cluttered. In the end only one of Malist's three bookshelves were able to be put in favor for a second bed for Musubi, she said that she would be perfectly fine with sleeping with Malist but he had read the lease and while it was fine for a guy and girl to live together, no sexual relations were allowed. And that included just sleeping together. In the end the room was like his previous apartment, Skyrim'ifed. "Yay! Everything looks so cool and Malisty."

"Please don't say that… but yes… makes things feel more like home." He said as he looked on the small bit of space that he would be living in. Everything in it was a heartfelt reminder of the life had lived before.

"As long as I'm with you, it always feels like home." Once again Malist had surprised by Musubi and her naïve and yet encouraging look on life.

"Well… thank you… but… uh… let's just go get some food, it should be getting close to dinner time by now." He said before walking out of the room with Musubi following him. As they walked down the stairs to the main level of the boarding house they saw Kagari starting to head out, dressed up in a classy western style suit. "Where are you heading out dressed to the nines?" Malist joked as he walked down the stairs.

"Just work, I got of lot to do so I need to head out a little early today."

"Aw, that's a shame." Miya said as she walked out of the dining room. "And I just made you dinner."

"I'm sorry, I'll eat it as soon as I get home." Kagari apologized before reaching down and kissing Miya's hand. "Take care." Kagari said his goodbyes and headed out of the boarding house.

"In case you were wondering, Kagari works nights at a host club." Miya answered the unasked question in the room after the door had been closed behind Kagari. "He's apparently the most popular host over there, I think it's amazing."

"He's a host?" Musubi asked naively not expecting that.

"Thinking about trying it out, sure you would appreciate all the stuff they do for women." Malist half joked.

"Yeah, especially if it was you doing it, I'd let you do anything to me." Malist deadpanned to this statement with a tiny bit of blood dripping from his nose.

"Yes… of course you would say that." Malist grunted as the gears of his mind grinded to a halt. "Excuse me… I need to hit my against something hard…" Malist grumbled as he walked away.

"By the way, you must be exhausted from all that unpacking. Would you like to take a nice long bath?" Miya asked Musubi as Malist stood over some ways away trying to reboot his brain. It wasn't the sexual nature of the statement that affected him… well… it had a big part but to him it was the way she had said it. The complete and utter trust along with the somehow innocent way she said that threw him off.

"Yay! I love baths!" Musubi happily yelled before turning to Malist. "Do you want to join me Malist?"

"No… I think I want to enjoy the sun while its out." He said not even needing to see Miya to know that he had no choice but to say no in this. It wasn't like he was going to anyways… nope. So Malist soon found himself sitting outside on in between the sliding door to the outside, in one hand a bottle of mead and a apple in the other as he enjoyed the nice weather. The sun had yet to start deciding but it was getting close. "Ah… Maven you may have been the queen of all bitches but you do know how to make a good drink." Malist said after taking a drink from the bottle. As he enjoyed the day and his drink he looked over to the tree that he and Musubi had fallen into last night. "That girl… I swear I saw something… a Spriggan? Nah… would have shown itself and not have helped me… pluuus… this isn't Skyrim." He giggled a bit before putting on a serious face and walked over to the tree. He looked at it and for a moment inspected if it held any Magicka. When he found nothing he reached out and touched it, it glowed green for a moment and his mind instantly sobered up.

"Please… help me…" His vision was filled with a forest and of a floating girl with long blond hair. She was on the verge of tears and clearly scared. And just as fast as the vision came it was gone.

"Hm… I'm going with Sekirei rather than Magicka." He theorized before looking back to his bottle of mead. "It's already open and I don't have an infinite supply." He said before putting the bottle to his lips. He took a rather large drink but then the sound of something breaking loudly stopped him from downing the whole . And then the sound of breaking glass came. He turned and saw Uzume jumping out of the second floor and then landing on the nearby fence. While only wearing a bath towel. Which slightly fell off as she landed. " _Tck… Musubi's are better_." Malist thought to himself as he knew that saying so out loud was a good way to get punched in the face. He had seen it happen to several of the men of the Companions many times before.

"Oh thank goodness…" Uzume sighed as she saw Malist standing there. "… Aren't you that new girl's Ashikabi." Malist just eyed her with a slight frown. "I really don't want to fight anyone…" She said before jumping down and landing next to him. "And that includes her so can you make her stop." She said as she leaned into him with her arms around his upper body.

"Exactly what is going?" He asked with only a slight hint of coldness as if what was happen was what he thought it was, he might be sticking a dagger in her gut in the next five seconds. Malist had already taken life before, not only that but Malistantius' cold disregard of life when it threatened those he cared about was shared by Malist.

"Hey! You get off Malist right now!" He heard Musubi yell out as she jumped from the same window, she also was only in a bath towel. "I told you to let go of him and I mean it." She said with as much sternness as Malist thought Musubi was capable of.

"Musubi… I need an explain of events… so please calm down and stop this."

"Yeah listen to him." Uzume said from behind Malist, still holding onto his shoulder. Though he wished she wouldn't as her proximity was the main issue for the moment. And it would seem that Musubi was too focused on that closeness to be open to discussion.

"Get away from him right now!" Musubi yelled as she came at them with a ready fist to hit Uzume though quite possibly hit Malist by accident. But the hit never came as it was blocked by Miya with… a pot lid? Malist had to remember that trick.

"Stop it." Miya said before knocking Musubi on the head with a soup ladle. "Young ladies shouldn't run around barely dressed like that." Miya admonished with a stern yet at the same time friendly tone.

"Right… I'm sorry." Musubi apologized, forgetting all her anger from seconds before.

"Guess you got in trouble huh…" Uzume chuckled at Musubi.

"That goes for you too." Miya said turning around with her ladle sword trained on Uzume.

"Key…" Uzume said but the only male in the yard felt like it wasn't sincere.

"I won't dare ask what the reason is for all of this. But I will say that there is to be no fighting in the house. Have I made myself clear?" Miya said with the demonic aura of hers returning and once again scaring everyone into submission.

"We understand perfectly. Thank you for stating it so clearly and thank you for stopping the fight." Malist said as the two girls stared at Miya.

"No problem, and it's always so nice to have such polite young man here. Dinner will be ready soon." She said leaving the three while chuckling to herself as she headed back inside.

"Creepy… don't you think Miya is scary when she's mad." Uzume commented only once Miya was out of earshot.

"I've seen worse…" Malist said thinking back to his time as a Nightingale and having to deal with Nocturnal.

-o0o-

He was asleep. He knew that. But he was able to open his eyes. Everywhere around him was tinted a pale green. But there was more green in the form of the many trees that surrounded him. He didn't recognize the forest as any from Skyrim. He would sometimes dream of that land that he had no active memory of. His conscious memory only remembered anything in bits and pieces and then everything… was lost in a fog. Only those small bits and pieces remained and they were of the most important parts and even those were more like he recognized them rather than really remembered.

He then heard something between the rustling of the leaves. It was feint at first but soon he was able to hear it clearly. It was the sound of a girl crying. He looked through the trees and soon saw a young girl, the same one he saw when falling the other night. She was up in a tree holding onto the trunk for dear life in fear of falling to the ground.

"Hey, don't worry… just jump. I'll catch you." He said holding out his arms. He something was going on and so helping this girl looked to be something he needed to do. If anything it would get him some answers though at the moment the sight of a cry girl but his logical side on hold for the moment. The girl looked back and was indecisive for a moment. "I'll catch you, trust me… I am a hero after all saving people is what we do." The girl then jumped down and into Malist arms. "See… that wasn't so bad." He said as he stared to put the girl down but stopped at her gripping onto him. " _Something else is scaring her… now is it something personal… or are we not alone here_." Malist thought as he eyed the tree line for anything that even looked to be Daedric in nature. "Hey, you got a name?" He said looking down to the girl in his arms, though his senses were still trained on anything that might come near them. " _Something is out there… it feels familiar… not enough to be Daedric… I know that feeling from Grim and Despair. This isn't it… feels… cleaner, but it isn't very friendly_."

"Ku… Kusano.' She answered as she looked up to him.

"What a cute name, fitting for a cute girl like you. My name is Malistantius… don't even bother trying to say it. Just call me Malist. So… why are you sad Kusano?"

"It-it… was all my fault. I was being bad and selfish and wanted to go outside." At that Kusano started to glow green and float out of Malist arms, he couldn't feel any Daedric signs but still he reached for the girl as the force took her away. "Please help me… brother…" Kusano cried as she disappeared into the trees.

-o0o-

"Kusano…" Malist grumbled in his sleep as Musubi tried to shake him awake after she heard him have some kind of nightmare. He opened his eyes to see her leaning over him.

"Malist… are you okay… you've been moving around violently in your sleep."

"That's not too out of the ordinary. I have night terrors regularly, my memories decide to show up and not all of them nice… the Famler, Nocturnal, and Harkon all are very good at creating nightmares. Oddly enough Alduin is a fluffy bunny to me." He chuckled before fully remembering his dream.

"So… are you okay?" She said worried about her Ashikabi.

"Yes… hand me that bottle…" He pointed to the bottle of mead on his nightstand. Musubi nodded and handed him the bottle and watched with her normal passive face as he began drinking the whole bottle down. "Ah… now… now I'm good." He said with a slightly drunken smile before falling back into his bed. "Ahrk wah fin lok mu bo… neh oblaan un stin ko fin grame…" He happily said in the Dragon's tongue as he began to drift to sleep.

-o0o-

Malist woke up the next morning with only a minor headache. He pulled himself out of his bed and looked around to see that Musubi was also already up and that she was polishing the two steel Nordic swords that hung on the wall. Malist sighed as took the furs that made his blankets off him, today would be the first day of a new job that Aela had gotten him as he would not be going to college and so could work. It was a construction job and that meant hard labor, something he didn't like. He preferred to steal his funds thank you very much.

"Oh, Malist, good morning." Musubi cheerfully said once she noticed that her Ashikabi was awake. "Did you sleep well after your nightmare?"

"It wasn't a nightmare… just something to keep in mind." He said as he opened his closet. He picked out a few of his Earth clothes and eyed his Nightingale armor. It would be so easy to ditch his job and go off and rob someone. But if he did that… Aela would know… and she would want to discuss it with him. He didn't want to discuss things with Aela. Once he had gotten dressed for the day, he had a spell handy for a quick and easy cleaning of his body, he was about to leave the room with Musubi in tow when they heard something outside. They both went to the small balcony their room had and could see Miya practicing with a sword, by cutting falling leaves. "Impressive… the Blades would train like that. And I think they would often make fun of me when I couldn't do it." Malist grumbled that last part before looking to his side and saw Musubi with stars in her eyes.

"Land Lady!" Musubi called out as she jumped off the balcony and down to the ground. "Would you spar with me?" She asked fully ready. Malist smiled at this and an idea formed in his head.

"Okay… but I won't go easy on you." Miya chuckled as she readied her sword.

"That's what I want. Ready… here I come!" Musubi joyfully called out before rushing toward Miya. She pulled back her fist and wen t for the Land lady's face but Miya moved her head away from the incoming punch with clear skill in doing so. As it happened Malist had come down and was watching the whole thing from the nearby door.

"Looks like Miya has some skill, enough to take on a Sekirei." Malist observed as he watched Musubi try to punch Miya without success.

"Oh yeah big time, Miya certainly knows how to hold her own." Uzume said as she walked over to Malist and leaned in on his right arm casually. "Whoa… those look pretty nasty." Uzume said once she noticed the daggers hanging at Malist's sides.

"Well they should… some pretty nasty things went into making them." Malist said cryptically before the two went back to watching the spar, though Uzume every once and while looked back at the two Daedric daggers. They watched as the spar ended with Miya knocking Musubi off to the side with a slight tap.

"Your side's open…" Miya commented as she did so. "… and you know why, because your putting too much strength into your shoulder. You need to relax a bit, let your strength flow through your entire body instead of just one place.'

"Right, thanks."

"Okay! Musubi got her turn… now it's mine." Malist said as he began walking toward the two of them. He wanted to see just how good this land lady was, and maybe possibly seeing if she could be a better sparring partner then a Atronach.

"Are you sure, I don't want you getting hurt before your first day of work.' Miya said sweetly but noticed the demonic looking daggers at his sides and knew that he had come prepared for this.

"Please… I'll never get better just training on dummies." He asked knowing that he was limited in people willing to help him. Well… people willing to let him use the only two daggers that made him worth a damn in close combat. "Just one spar for today, winner is whoever can disarm their opponent."

"Very well, as long as we understand that we must avoid harming each other." She warned seriously before taking an equally serious battle stance. One far more firm and real than the one she had been using on Musubi. Unlike with the naïve Sekirei… Malist looked like he had proper training beforehand. Plus Miya knew Musubi's strength level and limitations, she did not know the same information of Musubi's Ashikabi.

"Right…" He dragged out with a smile. And then in an instant steel met Daedric infused ebony. The two became a rush of attacks and blocks. The two Sekirei off to the side were awed by this.

"Hey Musubi… what exactly is your Ashikabi?' Uzume asked as she watched Miya take this spar seriously. Something she had never seen her do before.

"He's amazing! He's… the Dragon Born.' Musubi said giving the title great awe but not exactly the reverence it deserved. "He can do lots of stuff! I don't know everything but I know he's great at it all." She said excitedly as they continued to watch.

"Oaky… starting to regret this…" Malist breathed out as he dropped back a bit. "… but no pain no gain. That holds true anywhere." He said before rushing in for another attack. He was blocked by Miya as he had been since the beginning of the spar.

"That's a good attitude you have there…" Miya commented as she pressed and attack on Malist right side. "… _But your attacks have no sureness in them. You aren't confident that you're going to actually hit. Only your speed, which seems unnatural, is keeping me from fully exploiting this._ " Miya thought to herself as she continued to watch Malist during their spar.

"This is tough… I've never been good at this sort of thing. But… I still have to win, I can't lose even once." He said though Miya could hear that it was more toward himself than to her. There was an also a heaviness to his words, something about them was pushing Malist but at the same time holding him to something. An ideal or purpose if Miya had to guess.

"But as you said… you aren't very good at this. I would say you are not half bad in my opinion, but it is true that you need a lot of work if you want to beat me." Miya said with a encouraging smile. " _Mostly you need confidence, you need to believe that you can do this._ "

"But I'm still going to win this." He said before locking her and him in a block.

"And why's that?" She asked as she held her sword between the two daggers.

"Because I play dirty and you don't… **ZUN HAAL VIIK!** " Malist Shouted, he then pulled back expecting Miya to be disarmed from his Shout but then he felt _Grim_ leave his hand and then was followed by _Despair_ before he was able to react to the first loss. He then fell back on to the ground.

"Where Musubi had a issue in technique… your problem lies in your attitude.' Miya said as she stood over Malist. "Your too cocky in a fight and yet at the same time you don't put everything into your attacks. You for some reason seem to think that you are going to be the victor in every fight. But you don't believe that you, you Malist are the driving force behind that victory. You're not a dim boy so I don't think you have no reason to think this way. And I don't know what you tried just now but I'm assuming it's the source of that confidence issue. You think that your assured victory will come from that power and not you. But I hope you take from this spar that even if you have a ace in the whole… you need to believe in your own skills." Miya lectured before walking away leaving the Dovahkiin to continue look down in ashamed self-doubt.

"Malist! Are you okay?" Musubi cried as she came to his side. Malist just glared down at the ground pensively. He couldn't understand what went wrong, was she really that strong, to be able to resist the full spoken Disarm Shout. And what she said irritated and confused him even more, he was supposed to be in all rights her better. Back in Nirn he had done far more than anything she could have done. He had saved the world of Nirn several times, killed beings thought unkillable, done things that were said to be impossible. And yet… now… as he was… he was just a loser that can't even do a single thing right. A loser that could never live up to the legacy of himself.

-o0o-

Miya laced her sword in its normal spot. Her hands were still shaking from whatever that vocal attack Malist had done. When he shouted… it was like her whole body screamed at her to let go of her sword. It was only through the sheer strength of will that she was able to overcome it. She gripped her hand trying to steady it. She had never seen a human hold so much power, it was almost like he just wasn't human. But she knew he wasn't a Sekirei, there wasn't one with a power like what he had shown.

And then there was his weapons. Those daggers… they felt so wrong. Just plain wrong, there were no other words that could describe them. Evil felt too bias, there was malice to them but it was just there and not directed toward anything in particular. Wrong was the best word to use.

And his skills were on par with Sekirei sure. He could hold his own but if what he said was true and that was his best, then he won't last very long against someone who really knew what they were doing. It felt more like his skills with those blades were just a back up, something to pull out just in case something in a plan goes wrong. Which in of itself suggest a tactical mind and a keen understanding of preparation.

But there was this over flowing of total confidence in that he would win. But that confidence wasn't in himself. It was in that power he used. His work with those blades were that of someone who wasn't sure in his ability but the look on his face when he used that power. He was sure in that. He was completely dumbstruck when he saw it had failed. He had no belief in his own attacks and when they failed it was like he expected them to fail. But he was just continuing with the belief that he would be the winner for no other reason than he had the best trump card. She could tell he felt that shouting ability was his best trick but there had to be more otherwise he would have led with that instead of saving it for last.

At the end of the day, he felt like an child that had yet to win after being told that he was expected to win. Even after trying his hardest it still had yet to be enough. And then he found one thing that proved that it was possible to win. And he would hold onto that with all his strength.

"He just needs someone to tell him he is enough on his own." She sighed as she looked over to the picture of her husband.

"Even that won't be enough to dissuade him that just himself will ever be comparable to what he is supposed to be in his mind." Miya turned around and saw in the doorway to her room a woman with glowing red eyes. She was dressed in similar ways to some of the outfits that Malist had in his room though clearly made for a woman in mind. "I'm not here to hurt anyone… I just wanted to speak with the woman watching over what is left of my friend."

"So you're a friend of Malist are you, and what do you mean by _what is left_?"

"I'm saying that Malist isn't exactly Malistantius Caeraso." The woman said as she entered the room and closed the door behind her. "First off…" She looked up to a spot in the ceiling and held a ball of glowing red energy in her hand. A small red Spark shot from her hand to the spot in the ceiling. "Now we should be able to speak freely." Miya was going to have to speak with Matsu later. "Now introductions, I am Serana Volkihar."

"Miya Asama, so am I to assume that Malistantius has gone through some sort of traumatic experience of some kind."

"Something like that… he has had his mind clouded. Memories of his life locked away in a fog. But it is not even as simple as that. But before we do that…" In an instant the two women crossed blades. Miya had taken her own sword off from its stand and Serana had drew her father's sword. Serana's blade began leeching off a red and black cloud that began its way toward Miya but Serana pulled back her weapon and with a wave of her had dispelled the hungry miasma that had been encroaching toward Miya. "You are no normal Land Lady."

"Just as you are no normal stranger in the night."

"Is there really such a thing. No… I am a pure blood Vampire, and not just that but a Daughter of Coldharbour. You don't need to ask, it is unpleasant to speak of." Serana gave the woman the same warning and then nodded for her to say her piece.

"I am Sekirei number one. Former head of the MBI Discipline Squad." Miya answered as she returned her sword once again back to its place having decided that this woman didn't show any real hostilely. "So… a Vampire."

"If you're wondering, I survive on blood banks." Serana said with a small smile.

"I see, is Malist a Vampire as well?"

"He was once offered the chance to become one… he refused. But he was once a Werewolf before curing himself. He still has the disposition toward rather raw meat however." Serana chuckled at the fact even to this day Malist always complained that no one knew what rare meat really was.

"My, he's so young and yet it sounds like he has lived quite the life."

"That's because he hasn't. I guess I should clarify and tell you that I was not speaking of Malist but of Malistantius. You see… as I said before the two are hardly the same person. The share quite a few similarities but at the same time are vastly different people."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"I will explain, a little over a year ago… myself, Malistantius, and two others weren't even on this world. We were on a world called Nirn. And we had been sent here by a god of madness who thought it might be funny to send the greatest hero of Nirn and those traveling with him to this world… one considerably less exciting and fantastical than Nirn. And he thought it might be funny to turn the clock back on said hero until he is eighteen years old again. With only a vague idea of who he was." The woman said not stopping for a moment to allow Myra to ask a question. But once she did, she gave Myra a look that said _if you call me crazy then I will prove you wrong in a way that will hurt_. And considering the skill and strength of her attack just a moment ago, and her telling what she was, Miya believed her.

"I see… and Malist is this hero. That would explain a few things about him."

"Yes, I have now been referring to him more as the son of Malistantius than the actual man himself. You see, he can only recall a few things of his previous life, everything else becomes unclear to him. When we arrived in this world… he still recognized us but he lacks certain… behaviors that he had around us. For me, me and Malistantius used to enjoy small fights of verbal jabs where I would complain about the weather and he would always say that I could never be happy with any whether. And then we would debate the very idea of what could be a perfect type of whether for me. But when we arrived and I made a comment on how the sun here is just as unbearable for me as it was back in Nirn… nothing… he just asked if I needed to inside for a while. He knows of me but there is a difference in knowing someone and knowing of them. So, the man that he once was has been turned into a young man in both body and mind. And right now he suffers from the knowledge of what he used to be. He dreams of the day he can be that man again. To be a hero and live an exciting life again."

"Considering he used to be a hero of the highest regard, that is a both a admirable and slightly unlikely goal to reach for. Not only that but this world doesn't have the type of heroics that I think would be the kind of validation he is looking for. He doesn't want to become a firefighter or doctor, he wants to slay dragons doesn't he?" Miya also chuckled as she knew the answer.

"Yes, and you have no idea how right you are in that example. Not only that, but he wants more than anything to be just like the man he was… but he not yet realized that he has already begun to develop fundamental differences in personality to who he used to be. For one thing, Malistantius would never had refused to eat your cooking just because it was not his preferred method of cooking. Malistantius has almost starved to death twice… he never turned down a meal even if he knew it was poisoned."

"Exactly how long have you been watching him?" Miya said a little concerned. The woman was silent for a moment and then looked away.

"I don't have need of much in the way of mortal needs and… it's hard to find people willing to overlook the fact of my vampirism. So I have few friends. Even back in Nirn I had few. Malistantius was perhaps the only true friend I had. He would always save one or two bandits for me so I could feed… he always made sure that I never had the blood of innocents on my hands. He was the only one that took me into consideration like that."

"Well… I guess that's nice of him." Miya tried at that, but it was still a little morally gray. "But just because you are what you are doesn't mean you don't deserve friends and people to talk to." The vampire just stared at Miya for a moment, no change in her face to what she had said.

"It's fine, I'm used to living long times with contact with people. It may not look like it but I've lived for at the very least a millennia. But we are speaking of Malist, not me." Miya felt like she should push the issue, she could feel that this woman was uncomfortable being made the object of attention. For what reason Miya didn't know but she was there was a reason. "Malist does have sevreal qualities that Malistantius had, his over confidence in what he is good at was something that around even back in Nirn… though it was tempered by years of experience and good foresight. So it was more like a reckless abandon than over confidence. He would always throw himself head first into anything without real thought, if he was given a hunting job it didn't matter to him if it was a simple bear or an elder dragon. He would always go forward with a smile on his face assured that he would come out alive in the end."

"Yes… I can certainly see that. But from your words I'm assuming its different than the problem young Malist has."

"Yes, Malistantius would never go facing a enemy thinking that he would win just because he had the skills, gear, and… well… the destiny to win. He always gave each fight consideration. He always made sure to take each fight seriously and made his own luck in a matter of speaking. He didn't rely on the all the things that made him so feared in battle, he always had a plan, and back up plan, and a back up back up plan."

"He left nothing to chance. The problem with Malist wasn't over confidence but a lack of it. He didn't believe in his moves and they lagged behind and were quite sloppy."

"That is with close combat, something that he never was very good at. But that does hit a point that is a great issue with him. His lack of confidence in himself, but at the same time he has a great over confidence in what Malistantius was good at. Malistantius was a master at archery and Malist is just as good. But while he is still the master of a bow he was before, he doesn't take the kill shot nearly as fast as used to. He plays with his opponent, and I worry that with that and his belief that he will win somehow with his own thoughts in the mix… will result in him playing with someone that is looking for that kill shot. When he gets into the mindset of _He's_ Malistantius, he gets cocky and thinks that any fight will be won just… because he's got some sort of almighty plot armor. But the second, he is out of that mindset… he falls apart. He thinks that Malist is a worthless loser and can't do anything. It's why he's failed the college entrance exam when he is very intelligent. And then there is his magicka…"

"Magicka? You mean that… shouting thing he did on me?" Miya gripped her hand as it started shaking to the memory of those words. "Zun Haal Viik…" She mumbled those words as they reverberated in her mind.

"Weapon, Hand, Defeat. Those are what those words translate into… or as best as a translation as we might ever get. What that was, it was a Thu'um. A Shout in the tongue of the Dragons. Words of Power. The one he used on you was meant to disarm you… and he spoke all three words… you must have a will of steel because I have seen great beings lose their weapon to that Shout."

"it was luck… I guess… I still can feel those words though."

"It should pass… should being the word here. Just try not to think about the words and you should be fine. But your original question, no… Thu'um are not Magicka. Magicka is the academic title to magic in our world." The woman held out her hand and in it glowed a ball of red light. "Back in Nirn, everyone has the ability to learn it but few have the natural talent. Malistantius had a unexpected natural talent… one that he had not ever expected to become something he would soon grow to be his more favored combat style. Soon after finding out that he was the Dragon Born, he became interested in magical theory, likely wanting to find out more about magic in general as so he could better understand Thu'um. He became very proficient in both Conjuring and Destruction, two of the eight schools of Magicka. However he does know a good deal in the others. He was often called the True Arch-mage of Skyrim, he and the official Arch-mage disagreed on several issues… money and where Malistantius normally got his money." The woman chuckled and Miya actually now worried exactly what she meant by that. "Malist now uses magical like a toy… I fear what he might do now that he has been given targets."

"That is the point of this Sekirei Plan… to kill until one is left standing." Miya said in cold emotionless tone indicating what she thought of this topic.

"You don't like it but if Malist hadn't found the excitement that he craves he would have made it himself. I am sure that at some point he would have summoned a army of magical constructs and would try to take over the world."

"Really, that boy playing conqueror because he was bored?"

"It's another trait that he retained, his need for adventure and distaste of normalcy. Malistantius simply couldn't stay still and always rushed to find some new crisis to solve. And in this world, in the form he is now… he is unlikely to find that adventure that he desires. It was only a matter of time before he sought out to make that adventure on his own."

"Could he do it? Does he really have that much power in him that he could try to take on the whole world?"

"He doesn't at the moment. He has the skill and ability… maybe not the wisdom and intellect. But he would need to grow a bit before his Magicka reserves could be large enough to do anything to that scale." Miya breathed a sigh of relief. "He could if he wanted, burn, freeze, and electrocute the entire city in one day however."

"I see… well at least he's limited to just that." The sad sarcasm dripped from her words.

"The Sekirei Plan looking a little more like a blessing huh?"

"Doesn't mean I have to like the fact it is a senseless slaughter and a cruel game for some mad man's enjoyment."

"Oh don't worry, Malist wants to prove that he's the hero like Malistantius was. I can see him taking on the whole of MBI once he comes to care about the Sekirei. I just hope by the end of this whole thing he will come out of it with some perspective and maturity and a healthy dose of self-reliance."

"And how did Malistantius get that. You said that he had always been reckless, so what taught the man he once was humility?"

"Almost dying many times." The woman said bluntly. "He did act like nothing could beat him, but many times he almost was. And those times gave him the very needed humility and sense of mortality."

"I would say that isn't what is needed for Malist. He needs to learn that he doesn't need to live up to this impossible legacy he's be set up for. He needs people to tell him that he's good enough all on his own."

"His Sekirei is doing that but I'm not sure it will be enough… be we will see won't we."

* * *

Reviews

Read too Much - Yo man... you follow me around. Anyways thank you for your continued support in my projects. And yes... Malist is a bit of a downer

Thatguy - thank you.

Priceless22 - thank you for actual feed back instead of just flames. I understand where you might get that idea and it is true that Malist does have some of that traits that we all hate so much. I hope that you might be able to stick it through a few more chapters to see the character develop a little bit more before drawing final conclusions about it. Thank you for taking the time to review.


	3. Chapter 3

Malist stared up at the sky. His mind a thousand leagues away from his body. his entire morning after his spar with Miya had been done on auto-pilot. He had gotten himself ready and feed for the day in complete silence and with the same darkened blank look on his face. Musubi had tried to get Malist to perk up or feel better but nothing was able to heal the young Dovahkiin's wounded pride. He had then spent the rest of the day at his new job and done so still in his quiet thoughtful trance. He barely interacted with anyone and did his job in total silence. It was a bit creepy to the rest of the construction workers.

But now it was lunch and he was still in his self-imposed mental exile. He had opened his box lunch that Miya had made for him, the fact that she had done so only added onto his troubles, but he had not touched it due to his thoughts on what happened in their spar.

He had used the full Shout, all three words of the Disarm Shout and yet it failed. He had been beaten, even if it was just a friendly spar he still lost even when he had used a Thu'um. To Malist that simply shouldn't have happened. The Thu'um was the greatest weapon that he had access to and yet it failed to work on Miya. She had been able to hold onto her sword and disarm him in his moment of supposed victory. To say that this challenged what he thought to be the truth of this world would be understating what was happening to Malist.

And what she said after. All that stuff about how he shouldn't think that he was going to win just because he had his Thu'um to fall back on. Why shouldn't he think that was the reason he was going to win, it was a power that no one in this world knew about and only he could do. It was the perfect surprise in any fight, and he had many Shouts to choose from. Even if the Disarm Shout failed, he could have used a Fire Breath and charred Miya to a crisp… but he wouldn't. That's why he chose the Disarm and said that the spar was just until someone lost their weapon.

It was a power that he had used in his previous life so why wouldn't he be confident in it. It was a power that the Dovahkiin of Skyrim had used to save the whole world of Nirn from Alduin and from a plot to blot out the sun itself. He had used the Thu'um to save so many people, he knew he should rely on it because it was a power that had proved itself time and time again. Where as he… he was just Malist and he hadn't even done a single thing that lived up to a shred of the legacy of the man he once was.

"You gonna eat that?" Malist turned his head and to his surprise aw his friend/bodyguard Erik sitting next to him staring at his lunch with a bit of drool hanging from his lip.

"Erik… what are you doing here?" Malist asked, Erik had dropped off the face of the earth about a month ago. Aela had not heard from him and he had stopped taking cash from the Nirn based human's joint account. Serana had dodged the question as to where Erik was much to Aela's irritation. Erik looked up from the hungry look in his eyes to see Malist and once he did a huge smile grew on his face.

"BOSS!" Erik called out before hugging the young Dovahkiin, much to said young Dovahkiin's embarrassment. The sight of a huge burly grown man hugging him was not a look that he wanted seen by his coworkers. Though this action was good for him in that it distracted him from his depressing mood. "OH BOSS I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!"

"ERIK GET OFF! That's it… you earned his… **FUS!** " That pushed Erik off of Malist and on his ass. "I've told you that I don't like the bear hugs." Malist said as a small grin, he did still like the Nord's antics. "And if you want my lunch take it, not really that hungry."

"WHAT?! But… but… what happened to our pledge! To never let food go to waste." Back in Nirn the two of them had made a pledge to each other after surviving a whole month up in the deep north of Skyrim that two of them would never turn down food again. Not after living through that bitter cold and nearly dying of starvation.

"I didn't remember that… another thing I don't remember from my life." Malist said now getting depressed for a whole other reason. "I can't even remember something that apparently is so important…"

"No no wait… it's not your fault boss! It's that fuckin' Daedra's fault. It can't be helped that you can't remember, it's some Oblivion damn Daedric shit magic goin' on in your head." Erik said trying to help what was left of his number one idol. While he didn't have as solid of opinion of Malist's current state as Serana did he still was able to recognize that Malist had started becoming a fairly different person than Malistantius. He didn't subscribe to the whole _He's his own son_ theory that Serana came up with though. Erik still saw enough of his boss/friend in Malist to not think it had gone that far.

"I know… fucking Sheogorath… I know." Malist was able to calm down a bit and then looked back at his lunch. "If you really want this not to go to waste then have it." Malist said holding it out which Erik happily took it.

"Thanks boss, I've been starvin'. I mean… I have someone dropping me off lunch but I just have this bottomless pit I need to fill."

"Really, who's dropping you off food?" Malist asked curiously. Erik had friends in this world, he was a social guy. But as far as Malist knew no one close enough to something like that. Though that might have changed in the last month that none of the humans from Nirn had seen Erik.

"UH… UH…." Erik's face went pale just before he was about to take a bite. "Uh… no one… no one special… this is some great whether we have here huh…"

"Oh… did you find a woman to bring you lunch?" Malist asked with a grin that said _I Have You Now_.

"NO! Nope! Not a _woman_ in my life hahaha…"

"Erik…" Malist went completely serious for a moment. "… did you find a nice man to bring you lunch?"

"FOR THE LOVE OF TALOS NO!" Malist laughed at the over reaction. "I just… uh… got… uh… this food is good." Erik began to dig into the lunch box with great fervor while Malist just looked at him with continued amusement.

"THE HELL YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!" Malist was getting tired of all the yelling. But he watched as Erik was kicked off to the side hard by… someone that Malist wasn't expecting. It was one of those lightning twins from the other day. And they knew Erik… in what way Malist could easily guess. "I'm so sorry sir, he just mooches off people for… you… HEY you're that Ashikabi with crazy voice power."

"Yup… Erik… explain please."

"Whoa… boss you become a Ashikabi too!" Erik said excitedly before his face turned deathly pale as his mind worked in the information provided to him. "PLEASE DON'T TAKE HIKARI AND HIBIKI AWAY! I CAN'T GO BACK TO LIVING WITHOUT THEM!" Erik said while on his hands and knees in front of Malist. Meanwhile the Nord's Sekirei were conflicted by Erik's action, for one thing they very much appreciated his words but also a very irritated that he was begging this unassuming kid not to take them away. When they both knew how strong they were and on top of that how unexpectedly strong their Ashikabi was. In the month of knowing Erik they found out about his proficiency in battle, none among the Sekirei' numbers actually ever expected their future Ashikabi to be even remotely on par with Sekirei in combat, the twine thought they hit the jackpot when they found their Ashikabi was actually on a whole other level of badass in a fight compared to some of the Sekirei they knew. On a side note… they also found that the Adonis like muscles Erik were also a very well received side effect of his training regiment.

" **FUS**!" Malist Shouted at the three causing them all to stumbled back a bit. "Firstly… I am the only one allowed to shout now. And secondly… Erik… don't worry…" Malist stared chuckling with a unnerving dark madness to it. He stood up and put a foot on the lumber he had been sitting on. "I WILL BURN MBI TO THE GROUND! This whole Sekirei plan is a load of crap. I'm only waiting for all Sekirei to find their Ashikabi and then… oh then… then I will march on MBI and personally end the bullshit that is the Sekirei plan! All Sekirei will be free to be with their Ashikabi for the rest of their lives. None will be forced to abandon the one's they are destined to love."

"Really boss… you're going to save everyone?" Erik asked with a waterfall of tears running down his face.

"Yes. What else would a hero do…" Malist said very happy with the hero light he was getting at the moment. "But first… give me your lunch."

-o0o-

Aela was not happy at the moment. She was standing out in the open on her employer's stupidly built clocktower like headquarters. Why he liked to stand out here for no reason was anyone's guess. It was way to open for tastes, way too many opportunities for a sniper to just pick him and more importantly her off. She really didn't give two shits about the man, it was simply a good paying job that kept her from killing the bastard on principle.

Next to her was Sahashi Takami, who also equally detested their boss. She was decent enough in Aela's opinion. A little hard on her kids, but she had heard that both of them were in college so maybe she had the right idea. It was why she had taken a tougher stance on Malist in the last few days since hearing he flunked out of the entrance exam.

"Tonight is the night, the first opening salvo in this story." Her boss began as he started on another one of his rants. Both Aela and Sahashi sighed in annoyance. "Now the hunters has their prey… and they will come out in numbers and a the first battle the likes of which never have seen before will commence!" He announced into the sky. Though no one but the two captive women heard him given the wind at this height would drown out any voice… well… except one.

"Could he get any more annoying…" Sahashi grumbled as the two them watched him make dramatic speeches.

"One of these days… we'll push him off that ledge…"

"I know… it's the dream…"

"The dream… but by the way… what is he going on about now."

"He sent an e-mail to all Ashikabi telling them that there is a un-winged Sekirei in the middle of the arboretum and that the first one to get to her is the winner. Basically starting a feeding frenzy for all the scum willing to forcibly emerge a Sekirei." Sahashi spat out clearly disgusted with the move.

"It's Kusano right, she's the one in the center…"

"Yes… I just hope that her real Ashikabi will sense what is going on and come to her help. But that's just a hope." The stood in silence for a moment as their boss continued on with senseless proclamations and overtly grand speeches. "How have the Discipline Squad adjusting since being emerged." Sahashi asked seeing that there was no better time to bring this subject up.

"Ugh… Benitsubasa is… I'm going with willing ignorance on the fact that it was more or less a forced emerging. She's fine… or as fine as her normal personality is, but again… forced emerging isn't ever the best thing for a Sekirei even if it was on orders. Haihane is in my own opinion far more adjusted to the fact. She doesn't seem to mind it too much other than a small bit of resentment for not being able to find her true Ashikabi. But is far more stable than Benitsubasa."

"And Karasuba…"

"She's seen the wolf and likes it. Or more accurately she's gone full hunter on me in some twisted manner." Aela shuddered at the memory of her last full moon. "That look in her eye… I have no idea if she wants to kill me or fuck me. Maybe both… I don't know."

"I'm sure that you can handle it. It's the reason why you were chosen as their Ashikabi. You can handle them, no human has ever held your level of skill before." Sahashi turned to find Aela laughing.

"You think so… that's funny."

-o0o-

Boom. The armored trucks surrounding the entrance into the arboretum blew into the sky as the MBI soldiers all ran from the explosions. Fire rained down and them followed by a torrent of lightening, blue and purple.

" _This is too easy_." Malist grimly thought as he continued his attack supported by Erik's Sekirei. It wasn't that he thought that something bad was going to happen due to the easy time they were having… but because he had wanted this to be a little more challenging.

"Well… that's was boring. Add a few hundred Falmer or a few Daedra and this might be fun." Erik groaned as he leaned on his Dragonbone Great-sword, _Due Diligence_. He wasn't wearing any of his armor though, Erik had only brought out his weapon. "Ya think this would a little fun, guess we have to wait until some other Sekirei come out." He said as he pulled his sword out of the ground and began following the Dragon Born through the flames and wreaks into the arboretum.

"Even then, not really sure how fun it would be. If they are all as strong as ours, then it should be pretty decent compared to what we are used to." Malist said as he walked through the flames, fully kitted out with his standard battle attire that he had shown Musubi when they had first met. And in his hand was the Staff of Magnus. The most powerful magical staff in all of Nirn.

"Hey sis… I'm so glad that Erik and this guy are friends… because…" Hibiki mumbled to her sister after watching the sheer amount of destruction wrought by Malist like it was nothing to him.

"Yeah… we're really lucky that he's crazy enough to try and take down MBI too." The two twins followed the men from Nirn carefully keeping a few paces behind. The group began their way through the over grown forest but then Malist stopped the group.

"Something is here with us…" Malist looked around from under the eyes of the Konahrik mask. "… **Laas Yah** …" Malist whispered and the forest around began growing small red spots all around them. "If this was Nirn I'd say were surrounded by Spriggans… something is very wrong here."

"Yeah… I'm getting that feeling I always get when you lead us into a trap." Erik joked as he readied his Great-sword.

"This place is supposed to have been made by the Green Girl in the message right, maybe she can control it better than we thought." Hibiki offered as she and her sister also began feeling the bit of uneasy pressure the surrounding trees began to give off.

"Nah… if that was the case… the Aura Whisper would have given off this whole place as one being. But no, there's a few spots around us and a ton moving towards us and one other point."

"The more we hang around here… the more it feels like there's some seriously feral Spriggans circling us." Erik said as he began seriously considering a change of armor. "Boss… you think that the Sekirei is doing this… because if it is…"

"No, this isn't Kusano." Malist confirmed as he reached out into his Inventory.

"You know the name of the Green Girl?"

"I met her in a dream last night… something pulled her away. Something that really doesn't like us here." He said as he pulled a Spriggan taproot. Malist threw the taproot in front of the group and waited for a reaction. It was instant, five Spriggans roared in rage as they broke off from the nearby trees. The tree women continued to scream in bloody fury at the sight of what was a heart of a fallen sister.

-o0o-

Kusano was crying among the growth that was all around her. She hated being alone and now everyone was gone. She should have just stay in the lab like she was supposed to. But she made the mistake of going outside. It was fun at first, she got to see plants and a river and a kitty. But then that girl with the scythe hurt her tuner and then that blond boy tried to kiss her. Then everything went black. And now she was here, alone in some strange forest.

All she wanted now was for her Ashikabi to come and save her. Her tuner said that her Ashikabi was like a big brother and saving little sisters was what big brothers did. She hoped that he would come soon, this forest was scary and so quiet most of the time. No little animals made sounds or the wind coming through the leaves. The only time she didn't feel scared was last night when she had a dream about her Ashikabi. He helped her, and he was so nice and strong.

"Please… save me big brother." Kusano sobbed as she held herself together. She didn't even notice the sounds of the vines and roots twisting and moving.

"You don't need him child." The voice came from everywhere at once. It sounded like a woman's voice but lacked something inherently human, it cracked in places but remained unnaturally fluid like it was a well-made fake of a real voice. Kusano felt something like smooth bark caress and hold her. The young Sekirei looked up and saw a something that looked like woman made of wood and glowing purple light underneath her body's surface.

"Who… who are you."

"Child of life… I am your mother. There is no need for here now that I am here." As the tree woman spoke vines crept over the girl. Giving her a feeling of unnatural warmth and safety. "You will never need to fear again. I and your sisters are here now… rest child… rest and grow with the earth." The tree woman closed the young girl's sleepy eyes and held the girl tightly as the vines wrapped around the intertwined Sekirei and Spriggan Earth Mother

-o0o-

"BURN BABY BURN!" Malist madly laughed as he charred the last Spriggan to a pile of ash. "HAHA… ah… okay… that felt really good." Malist said happily as he looked back at Erik who just in one move chopped off the head of a wounded Spriggan.

"Oh I hear that, feels so good to be killing things side by side again." The Nord chuckled at he swung his sword on to his now armored shoulders. Erik now wearing his Nordic Carved Armor, it was a specially made by Malistantius with many enchantments built to lighten and reinforce it.

"You were amazing Erik! You were so badass with that sword and took on those plant bitches like it was nothing." Hikari cheered in awe of her and her sister's Ashikabi.

"You two weren't that bad either, a Spriggan nest like this would take even experienced warriors trouble. But you two do great holding your own, even with me and the boss here."

"Aw really… I mean… we could have done this without you. We are Sekirei after all."

"I think putting on a brave face isn't the best move here sis…" Hibiki groaned as she looked back at the piles of Spriggans that they had to deal with.

"Stay focused everyone! We still have to deal with the rest of them… and there was only two Matrons in that group." Malist said with a clear commanding tone that didn't belong to the normally semi-depressed young man. He was now in full gear and wielding powers that only the famed Dovahkiin used, he was in his element… or at least he was in the element of who he aspired to be. The line between faking his courage and having real confidence in his ability in battle was blurred with the threat that Kusano was in the clutches of a sisterhood of Spriggans. Malist had a job to do and someone to save, his mind was now running on pure instinct and buried experience.

"Right boss." Erik cheered excitedly at the prospect that they weren't out of deep shit yet. "Feels great to be back to adventuring again." He grinned as he pulled out a few health potions and threw two to his Sekirei. "Drink up, no sense going into battle a walking corpse." He said before putting his potion to his lips.

"Make sure to watch the trees. They fell for the taproot trick once but I doubt it will work again so we need to be careful for ambushes. **Laas Yah Nir**." Malist once again took in the red spots of life that appeared in his vision. Most of them were focused on another intruder in the forest. But it looked to be that the majority of those Spriggan were breaking off from that fight and were now heading toward their group. "Seems like the Earth Mother that is leading these Spriggan is focused on us."

"Think it might be because we killed their sisters?" Erik said as he walked up to Malist.

"Maybe… or maybe… she knows that I'm Kusano's Ashikabi. And it doesn't want to give her up." Malist thought as he remembered the dream he had last night. He knew he felt something watching them, it had to be this Spriggan Earth Mother. "Kusano more than likely has an affinity for plant life or maybe something else the Spriggan would see that would make them mark Kusano as one of their own." Malist watched the incoming numbers of Spriggan… there were a lot of them. " _I could burn down this whole forest, but that would risk killing Kusano and any others in this forest. Fire Atronachs is also out of the question, lightening Atronachs might also have the same effect, less chance of it but possible. And Frost isn't going to do much against Spriggans… maybe some back up would be good just to make sure._ " Malist thought as he pulled out his phone from Inventory.

"Gonna call your Sekirei?" Erik said as he watched the trees for any sign of danger.

"Yeah. You alone isn't going to be enough meat between me and your Sekirei and the Spriggans. Musubi is good at close combat and hopefully will be able to help you in keeping the tree women from getting to us while we handle them at range." Malist said as he waited for someone at Izumo Inn.

"Hello?" He heard Miya answer the call.

"Hi Miya… can you please put Musubi on… I need to speak with her as quickly as possible." Malist said trying to hide his irritation at Miya, he still was upset at the spar this morning.

"Malist, what's wrong, I thought you were at work?"

"I was… now I'm not… please hand the phone to Musubi." Malist said flatly not wanting to speak with Miya any more than he had to.

"Did you get in to some kind of trouble and need Musubi to come get you out of it."

"No… I just need to speak with her on the phone… so please… put her on." There was a quiet before he heard Miya sigh. Then he heard her hand over the phone to who he assumed to be Musubi.

"Malist! What's going on, are you hurt, did you…"

"Musubi… calm down… I can take care of myself."

"I know… I just want to help you if you got hurt." Malist was very happy that he was wearing his Konahrik Mask otherwise Erik and his Sekirei would no doubt be making fun of the small blush that was coming over his face at Musubi's caring comment.

"T-thank you, but I just need you here at the arboretum. Just come to the entrance and follow the trail of destruction we left behind. You should be able to find us that way."

"You got it!" At that Malist hung up before Miya could have taken the phone and questioned him on what was going on.

"Okay there, we should be getting reinforcements soon. She runs pretty damn fast." Malist said before putting his phone away. He then held a ball of freezing ice in his hand and held it out to the ground next to them. "A little path for her to follow." He said as he begun blasting the ground as he walked toward the center of the forest leaving a trail of ice behind. The group moved through the forest with little trouble after that first fight, Malist check twice again with Aura Whisper and found that the horde of Spriggans were just circling them. Gathering numbers likely for when they reach the center and the Earth Mother.

"I'm really not liking this boss… these Spriggan seem way too smart for the average tree lady." Malist didn't comment as he still had a limited amount of knowledge on their enemy. He knew only basic information and a few tricks from reading about Spriggans in the books and journals he had brought with him to this world. In all honestly he had no actual memories of them beyond them existing in Nirn. "Think maybe that Earth Spriggans are just like this?"

"That brings up something that has been bugging me… how the fuck are there Spriggans here? Because no, this world doesn't have any population of Spriggans. That name only belongs to a legend based in Corish Faery lore, and I highly doubt given their reaction to the taproot that we are dealing with that."

"How do you know that and yet you failed the college entrance exam twice?" Erik deadpanned causing Malist to throw a weakened Ice Spike at him.

"As I was saying… these have to be Nirn Spriggans. But how did they get here? Did Sheogorath send them here like he did us? Did one of the other Daedra send them? And why send an entire sisterhood of Spriggan to this world in nearly the same location and time as us." Malist questioned as he looked up to a massive tree blocking their path. " **YOL TOOR!** " A inferno of fire blasted from the words spoken and hit the massive tree. The fire quickly ate away at the bark and trunk until finally being put out by a casted Freeze onto the burring tree. "There… looks like we have our way into where Kusano is…" Malist said as he began his way into the cave the tree had been blocking with Erik and his Sekirei behind him.

"Boss, you do realize that we left that horde of tree ladies out there for your Sekirei to deal with right?"

"I'm not too worried. Most of the Spriggan seemed concerned with us and should be coming in here through other passages they can only use. Also, we're still not the only ones that are in this forest. Last I check there were… four groups trying to get in here. Only one was really getting close to us and might end up here with us. The other three are still dealing with the Spriggans' numbers." Malist said as they moved through he cave, vines covered the walls and it was becoming clear that this wasn't a natural cave. The walls were becoming more and more built by trees rather than stone. "Musubi will be fine, she can handle the few that would be sent after her." Malist smiled under his mask while he changed out his Staff of Magnus for his Nightingale bow. He didn't want to risk his magic accidently hitting Kusano.

The group soon came to a enormous cavern built out of a multitude of intertwining trees and reinforced by chunks of stone and earth brought out of the ground. Glowing vines coiled around everything and small glowing plants lit the place up brightly. In the center was a raised plateau of stone and roots, Malist could see sevreal Spriggan sleeping in between the roots and from the sounds coming all around him he was sure they were waking up now that they had entered.

"Men of flesh and bone, leave! This is a place of home and root, leave this home now for you are uninvited." Malist watched as the Earth Mother came into view at the top of the plateau. "You! You murderer!" The Earth Mother screamed once she saw Malist. "You come here with the smell of sap and death, you shall not leave… you shall feed the roots and buddings with your flesh." At that the Spriggans began to pull themselves out of the woods and roots. Their screams of shared rage echoing the ones they had heard from the first group.

"Erik, ideas on how we might survive this?" Malist said as he began to worry at the sight of so many Spriggans coming out and heading toward them. The young Dovahkiin began to fire steel arrows into the horde of encroaching Spriggan. Every shot was a headshot and they needed to be given that Malist had a very limited number of higher quality arrows. While normally a steel arrow even as a headshot wouldn't take down a Spriggan but thanks to the enchantment on Malist's Nightingale bow made up the difference. Those that survived the arrow to the face were hit by both a cold snap freeze and a nasty shock of electricity.

"Numbers… we need numbers." The Nord said with an equally nervous voice as he readied _Due Diligence_ for the incoming melee. "Or something big to put between us and them." While Erik knew that he could handle a great number of Spriggan, he knew he couldn't do it alone. While he had the support of his Sekirei and Malist, he still would be in the middle of an angry horde of tree women all alone.

"Fire and Storm Atronachs are out of the question, and I can only summon a few Frost… oh shit… I'm going to have to use that aren't I?" Malist felt a feeling of bile and disgust at the thought of what he was going to have to do.

"Yeah… don't; get me wrong boss… even on Spriggan the idea sounds wrong to me." Erik said with a scowl on his face as he got what they were needing right now.

"What are you talking about? If you got a plan then you need to use it!" Hikari called out as she and her sister rained down a storm of lighting trying to keep the horde at bay.

"Argh… move!" Malist said as he pushed the two Sekirei twins out of the way as he moved up to the front of the group. The mass of Spriggans didn't stop their rush toward them. "Still as stupid as ever…" Malist waited a little bit waiting for them to get closer and more tightly packed. " **RII VAAZ ZOL!** " A ripping storm of malevolent energy came charging at the incoming horde of Spriggan. The purple and black energy gave the nature based creatures pause as they felt the incoming necromantic dread that was the vanguard of this power. A few of them began turning back in an attempt to avoid the fate coming toward them. It was pointless, the Soul Tear Shout ripped and shredded through their front ranks only stopping until it was in the very middle of the horde. The Spriggans caught in the Shout's power were standing up right, their bodies mangled and decaying, their faces contorting into ones of pure pain and agony. And then some of them started moving again. Fell energies circled their limbs and bodies as they began to creep toward their still living sisters.

"W-what… what did you do?" Hibiki asked as she and her sister watched the Spriggans come back to life and start rampaging against their living sisters. Only about one for every five Spriggans killed by that attack actually began moving again but it was enough to level the playing field for the Ashikabi and Sekirei side. Both in the loss of the enemy's numbers and the gain in new undead allies.

"You just brought those things back from the… oh… are you okay?" Hikari asked as the twins turned to see Malist throwing up a few feet away. He had removed his mask and hood and now was vomiting everything in his body.

"NO! I am… fuck… I am not!" Malist snapped in between expelling what was in his stomach.

"This happened when you were first using this Shout back in Nirn too. Forgot about that." Erik mumbled to himself before retuning his attention to the fight. The undead Spriggans, while it repulsed Erik to see them as a necessary tool, were already starting to lose ground and he knew that they had a limited amount of time to use them. "Come on, we need to move quickly before those zombies are nothing but dust!" Erik called out as before he jumped down off the ledge they had been holding and started running to the fight. His Sekirei quickly followed and began firing down more lightening onto the tree women still alive after Malist attack.

"AUH! Okay… I think… nope…" Malist spent a few more moments throwing up. "Uah… I am never using that Shout again…"

"Malist!" Said Dovahkiin looked up and saw Musubi running down the cave toward them, she had clearly been in battle due the poor condition of her clothes. "Malist… oh are you okay! You look sick?"

"I'm fine… I'm not sick okay. By the way, I'm making you some armor or something because this…" He motioned to the ripped and torn up clothes Musubi was wearing. "… is getting a little old. Every time you fight now I'm going to worry that you're going get hurt because you don't wear enough proactive gear."

"Really? You would make something for because your worried about me?"

"Uh… yes… we don't have time for this. Musubi, there is a Sekirei being held captive by those Spriggan and we have to save her." Malist said pointing the stone plateau in the center of the cavern. "Down there is my friend Erik, help him fight off the tree ladies."

"You got it, I will do my best." She cheered before heading off into the massive melee.

"Heh… good thing she didn't question the zombies… or the fact those two Sekirei down there were attacking us the other day." Malist said as he felt a bit better. He put his mask back on and prepared another arrow.

"Murderer!" Malist reflexively activated his magical shield to the incoming wood claw that came for him. His vision was met with the angry face of the Earth Mother. "You will pay for your evil. You come here seeking to take and burn. But you commit even worse acts, crossing rivers never meant to be crossed, bringing forth powers long since forbidden!" She screamed as she pushed against the shield of Magicka.

"How are you here in this world, you belong back in Nirn." That seemed to stop her, the Spriggan Earth Mother stopped in her tracks and seemed to be placed in a daze of some kind.

"Nirn… Nirn… home roots… where we budded…" Malist watched as the confused and dazed Earth Mother mumbled to herself. "Nirn… where… where are we if not Nirn… this soil… it… lacks to touch of home…"

"Who sent you here, who took you away from your home?" Malist carefully asked as he placed his bow on his back and moved to _Grim_ and _Despair_.

"Eyes… eyes of evil… roots and branches of blackened darkness… it came… and promised things… how… how to find something. Something so… so important at the time… home… a safe home." The Spriggan seemed to begin to delve deeper into her daze. And then after a brief second the Earth Mother snapped out of her trance and attacked Malist. The young Dovahkiin blocked the incoming attack with _Grim_ in one hand and _Despair_ in the other.

"Well… it looks like you're no longer helpful in this." Malist said as he parried the attack and stepped to the side of the next. He knew that his luck wouldn't last for very long given that he was terrible at this range. He needed to end this as fast as he could. So now he was going to cheat. " **GAAN LAH HAAS!** " Malist Shouted at the Earth Mother and once the ethereal power of the Shout washed over her, the Spriggan's movements slowed and become more tiring on her. She gave back a few more attacked but as the fight went on she eventually slumped over completely drained of energy.

"I cannot… I cannot rot here… she needs her mother. The buddling needs me…" The Earth Mother breathed out as she tried to crawl her way to the next attack. "You will take her… and burn our home. I cannot let you…"

"Who said anything about me burning this place? All I want is to keep Kusano safe, and trust me that she is safest with me." Malist said as he dropped down next to the Spriggan.

"You lie… she… is safe here. She will grow with the sisterhood… she will be safe from you men of flesh and bone."

"Really, because considering the fact that every Ashikabi is coming right here with the intent of winging Kusano whether she wants it or not, and that you are now down to what looks like less than half strength… sorry about that by the way… I don't think you are in the position to protect her anymore.

"You caused this! You burned and defiled! And you have the gull to claim you can protect her!"

"Yes, because I'm her Ashikabi. I know it might sound like a poor reason for someone that doesn't hold any real respect or knowledge for that title, but she does. Just let me speak to her, and if she wants to stay, then I'll go and even help you rebuild the losses I caused."

"How do I know your words are the truth?"

"Because I _could_ just kill you right here and now. But instead I'm offering you to stay in your home and the safety of someone you for some reason care about." Malist offered bluntly before setting down a potion of stamina in front of the Earth Mother, though he kept a finger on it as he waited for her answer.

"Very well man of flesh and bone, you may see her." At that Malist stood up and the Spriggan grabbed the potion and broke it between her fingers. Her wooden hand soaking up the liquid and bringing it though out her body. The Spriggan stood up and called out to her sisters who stopped their fighting. The cavern was now filled with the broken dead bodies of their fellow Spriggans and the ashes of those that had been raised as undead. The Spriggans all began to step back from the intruders as the Earth Mother and Malist walked down to the lower area of the carven. Malist gave a small nod to Erik as he passed the rest of the invading party and he was given a small nod of understanding. Malist followed the Earth Mother up to the top of the plateau. It was a small clearing of grass and small pound. In the back was a single tree with a sleeping Kusano under it. "There… the buddling sleeps. Now we will see if you being her… Ashikabi… will matter." With a wave of her hand the vines covering Kusano receded and the young girl began to awake.

"Did you really have to put her under a magically induced sleep coma?" Malist questioned but it looked like the Earth Mother didn't understand the negative insinuations behind his words.

"I am watching for your truth man of flesh and bone." She said expectantly with clear condescension in her voice.

"Tsk… you need to understand that if it's not me, it could very much be someone that would abuse her. So be careful." He warned as he took off his mask and hood. He then looked back to Kusano who was getting up off the patch of grass she had been sleeping on. As he approached she looked up and there was a bit of fear in her eyes. Malist worried that the Spriggan would just make a snap judgment of that being all the evidence she needed. But nothing came from the nearby Spriggan. "Hey Kusano… it's nice to see you for real this time." There seemed to be a flash of recognition in her eyes at that.

"Big brother…" The young girl said softly before running over to Malist. "Big brother!" Kusano cried as she hugged Malist who was doing his best to not look back to the Earth Mother with a grin that said _you lose I win_.

"Don't worry, I'm here to help." He said as he picked Kusano up as she was still fairly weak from the effects of the Spriggan sleeping vines. "I'm going to make sure that no bad man comes and takes you away."

"It would seem that this thing you are to her… this Ashikabi… is indeed something to consider." The Earth Mother said as Malist turned to face her. "Young buddling… is this what you want? To go with this man?"

"Uhuh… he's my big brother." She said as she held onto him even tighter. Malist didn't know who told her that but he was glad that they did otherwise… the normal relationship between Sekirei and Ashikabi would set off several red flags for the Spriggan. And also, it just made dealing with the idea of having a Sekirei this young around so much easier.

"Then I will not act against you anymore. But, you said you would give back to the sisterhood for your burring and defiling of us." She said as she shot a glare to Malist.

"I will return later once Kusano is safe and will ward off this place against normal humans and the effects of the outside world. You will be completely isolated from the world and can regrow in peace."

"That is…" The Earth Mother stopped speaking at a massive explosion at the cavern's entrance. "… what new folly is this." The Spriggan groaned as she had thought her sisterhood's problems were finished. The Spriggan and Dovahkiin carrying Kusano walked over to the edge of the plateau to see three two women standing in the entrance to the cavern. Both looked to be Sekirei by first glance. The first on the right was slim and rather average in Malist's mind… he was comparing her to Musubi and Erik's Sekirei. Although that was a pretty high bar the young Dovahkiin had to admit. She had long brown hair and a face that gave away her bloodlust away in an instant… what also gave it away was the way she was cradling her scythe like a baby.

The second one however… intrigued Malist. She had a much more… shapely figure than her companion. Her bust only slightly smaller than Musubi's considerable chest. But taller than both the scythe user and Malist's own Sekirei. Though Malist only gave a small thought to her physical appearance, the look of perfect passive blankness on her face is what gave the young Dovahkiin pause. He had one, single memory of someone who had a face like that… slaves. Beaten and broken slaves at that. Those that would do anything for a feeling of freedom and acceptance.

"Oh dear… looks like the Frost Rune I placed didn't do much." Malist observed. He looked down and saw that the Sekirei on the right seemed to be responsible for that, the ice around them seemed to cling to her protectively. "Kusano, hold on tight…" Malist warned and the young Sekirei did as requested. "… **WULD NAH!** " In a flash and gust of wind Malist burst down to the lower level of the carven next to Erik and the Sekirei.

"Good, you got the girl. And looks like the Spriggans have got the idea who's the boss around here." Erik smiled as he turned to the Dragon Born. "But it looks like that competition you warned us about has caught up."

"What should we do Malist?" Musubi asked her Ashikabi perfectly ready to fight their way out of this place.

"Let's see if they can't be either convinced or intimidated into letting us pass." Malist said as he stepped forward in front of the group. "Yo! Looks like you're a bit late, but I not so sorry to say that you and your Ashikabi has lost." Malist called out as he held Kusano closely in case of attack.

"That's what you think, our master has had his eye on that Sekirei for a long time so as long as you haven't emerged her than she's free game." The one on the right grinned as she scanned her opponents. "And it really doesn't look like it will be that hard to get her back. All we have to do is go though some wimpy cosplaying moron and his whore of a Sekirei…" A small vein popped out of Malist's forehead in anger at those two comments. He did not like people mistaking his armor for fucking cosplay. The blood and effort that went into making and earning the pieces of his attire were more than anything this girl had ever or will ever go through. And also… she insulted Musubi, there was only one action that could be done to this girl now… and it involved a lot of pain. "… and looks like Hikari and Hibiki and their idiot of Ashikabi."

"Shut up! Our Erik is a billion times better than that spoiled brat of Ashikabi of yours. Erik actually gives a shit about us unlike your harem having Ashikabi. And look at him…" Hikari pointed to Erik. "… he beats your little boy Ashikabi in looks a thousand times over."

"Is this really necessary?" Malist asked with the urge to rub his face in annoyance but was unable to do so as he was still carrying Kusano.

"Be quite boss, it isn't polite to interrupt women."

"Since when are Nords concerned about things like politeness?" Malist sighed and then looked back to the two Sekirei blocking their path. The one on the right was looking like she was about to jump into the fight over Hikari's comments. The other was just holding the same blank stone face that she had held the entire time. "Erik, you and Musubi take the one on the right.'

"What about the one on the left?"

"No." They heard as the Earth Mother walked in front of them with her sisters filing behind her. "You all leave through one of the side passages while we handle these two."

"Are you sure, with the number you have…"

"Leave man of flesh and bone. If we become part of the soil then so be it. We will never hear the song of the Nirn Root again. This world… it was not what we were promised. We know what we must do regardless, even if you return to ward and seal, and we are still here… we will return to a dreamless sleep and grow with the root and leaves. This is what we desire. How it comes about, does not matter in the end."

"I see… then if its what you want. Okay everyone! We're running away like little children." Malist said as he turned and began walking toward the only other passage that they could fit through. This proclamation shocked and upset the group, the Sekirei the most as they were now running away from the very fight they were sent out into the world to fight. But with a single word Shout of Unrelenting Force they grumbled but followed the Dovahkiin.

"Where do you think you're going cowards!" The loud Sekirei called out as she jumped down from the ledge only to be met with a wall of tree women.

"Woman of flesh and bone, you will not pass here to take and steal. You will not pass us this day."

-o0o-

"That was amazing! It was just like home." Erik cheered as the group of Ashikabi and Sekirei walked through the city towards Malist and Musubi's home. "Fighting endless hordes of monsters, the thrill of battle and adventure… I missed it so much." Erik cried tears running down his face.

"I'm terrified of this place you guys come from if you think that was fun." Hibiki sighed as she personally felt more tired than she ever had felt in her life.

"You're kidding right, that was so awesome… until the zombies came." Hikari said still feeling a rush of adrenalin from the battle.

"WHAT?! There were zombies?!" Musubi asked as she had just missed that part of the fight.

"Yeah, your Ashikabi did one of his shouting things and turned a bunch of those tree ladies into zombie tree ladies. Then he started throwing up." Hikari snickered as Malist sighed in slight embarrassment at that.

"This is the thanks I get for saving everyone… I thought it would involve a lot more praise and parades." Malist grumbled to himself before stopping as they had reached Izumo Inn. "Thanks Erik and terrible twosome…"

"Hey!"

"… for helping me with saving Kusano. Erik, if you see Aela… you know what to do."

"Act all smug and stuff because we did exactly what she told us was impossible in this world." Both men nodded in agreement over this. "You got it boss! Now… I think it's time to head home and fall into the floor from the sheer exhaustion I'm feeling." Erik laughed as he started his way away from Malist, Musubi and Kusano with his Sekirei behind him.

" _They are going to have sex aren't they_?" Malist deadpanned in the safety of his mind as currently there was an impressionable child riding on his back. "Well, home sweet home I guess…" Malist said as he turned to the boarding house that was his current home.

"Yeah, I wonder what Miya made for dinner?" Musubi wondered as they approached the front door. "What do you think Malist?"

"I don't know… I think I'm still feeling a little sick from before so I'm just going to put Kusano to bed… oh… we only have two beds… huh…" Malist was trying to readjust his bedroom in his mind while Musubi lead him inside.

"We're home!" Musubi called out much to Malist's dismay as he just wanted to sneak up to his room and hide from Miya.

"Welcome home you two… oh Musubi, why the change of clothes?" Miya said as she walked up to the three. Musubi had been given some of Malist spare clothes he kept around in his Inventory, they were a little big on Musubi and were in the common style of someone from Skyrim. Not exactly something one might find in modern japan. "And who's this?" Miya asked as she looked to Kusano.

"Musubi is trying out a new look we found while out shopping." Malist lied perfectly and if Miya didn't already have the knowledge of he was and what he was actually doing she would have bought it. "And this is Kusano, she's a relative of mine and her parents… well… I should say such things out in the open like this." Once again perfect lies by Malist, the uncomfortable unsaid topic of what might be either death, prison, or abandonment meant that someone was unlikely to push further. Miya of course knew exactly who Kusano was but played along for Malist benefit.

"Yup, that's who she is…" Musubi tried to lie but wasn't nearly as good as Malist. Thankfully the two were saved by Kusano cutely waking up and yawning.

"Where are we, I'm hungry." Kusano said as she looked up from Malist shoulder.

"Oh you poor thing, I'll go fix you something to eat right away." Miya said before hurrying off to do just that. Malist eyed the stairs to the upper floor and seriously weighed his options here. On one hand, he could run up and bar himself, Musubi and Kusano in his room and wait until morning where he could leave early to go to work and avoid Miya for another day. On the other hand… he could go to the dining room and have an awkward dinner in which every second he had to suffer being in the same room as the woman that had beaten him and lectured him. As well as the longer that they spent with Miya the greater the chance that she would figure out his lie about Kusano became.

"That's really not necessary Miya, I have… ayh…" Malist soon found himself being dragged to the dining room by Musubi..

"Come on Malist, lets get something to eat." Musubi said gleefully ignorant of her Ashikabi's troubles

-o0o-

"Oh I am glad that's over… I don't think I've ever been as terrified in my… current… life." Malist said as he looked up at the stars with Kusano next to him. Dinner had been just as awkward and uncomfortable as he expected it to be. But to his irritation he was the only one that found it uncomfortable. Musubi was completely unaware of his issues with being around Miya now and Kusano was too wrapped up in her first home cooked meal in who knows how long. And Miya was acting as if nothing had even happened. Like the spar meant nothing and continued to be the same scary yet friendly land lady she had been before.

The adventure to save Kusano didn't change anything in Malist's mind. Miya's words still rung true. All though the battle with the Spriggans all he really contributed to the fight was his Shouts. He relied on them to figure out that they had been surrounded when they first entered the forest. Then to find their way into the cavern that Kusano was in. Then to help stop the horde of Spriggans and then win him his fight with the Earth Mother. He himself didn't do much. Just shoot some arrows and burn some Spriggans.

"Big brother… are you okay?" Kusano's question brought him out of his depressing thoughts.

"Oh… it's nothing… I just was thinking about today. What happened and how it might have gone differently." He bent the truth a tiny bit as he didn't want her to see him questioning himself.

"I think it went great. You came and found me like I knew you would." She said looking down at her fingers.

"Yeah… just like a hero would." Malist said as he looked back up to the stars. " _And yet it still feels hallow. I saved Kusano didn't I? Well… kinda… from whoever that jerk was that trying to force himself onto Kusano. But… I didn't really save her from the Spriggans. They wanted to protect her just as much as I do, why I don't know but they did._ " He thought before looking back down to Kusano. "Hey… would you… like to go back to the Spriggans? Now that the rest of the Ashikabi aren't…" He stopped at the hug Kusano gave him.

"I don't want to go back, I want to stay with my big brother." She said as she held onto him tightly. Malist didn't respond, his mind trying to figure out just why would she act this way. He wasn't anything really special, not anymore and he had yet to really earn the legacy set for him. He had a hard time understand why Kusano or Musubi would want anything to do with him. "Big brother will you do me a favor…" Kusano said as she leaned up to Malist's face. "will you be my Ashikabi?" And at that Kusano kissed Malist and a bright green light enveloped the two as Kusano's wings spread out. All around them flowers sprouted and bloomed as the light died out… not that Malist was sober enough to enjoy the sight. Because just as before with Musubi, the enormous amount of energy released sent him into a high like state much to Kusano's worry and confusion.

* * *

Reviews

Reads Too Much - Well thank you, I hope you are enjoying my latest story

blazingpheonix123 - thank you.

Fantasy Science - yes... but... no... right now Malist is limited to Earth and when in Skyrim it wasn't really magically summoning the dragons but calling for them. so since they aren't on earth, no dragons. But eventuall as the story goes on the dragons will return.

The Question - minus Homura, yes. And one of those will join Malist. It will happen in the next chapter. As for anyone else... not sure. unlikely though as I am not a fan of large harems.


	4. Chapter 4

Shiina was confused by the feeling the air. It was so… unexplainably tense. The air in this forest felt like it just wanted him to go away. That he didn't belong here. He ignored the feeling as he searched for Kusano. He had heard that she had been here and considering the abnormal level of growth in this arboretum it was looking more and more like it was true.

The young male Sekirei moved toward the center of the forest hoping to find something of an idea of where she was, maybe she was still here and his search would be over. But something told him that wasn't true. He followed a trail in the ground that led to the forest's center, it was strange just like the air, when he had went down to touch it, it was cold as ice. Another thing that felt off was the number of body like plants all around the trail. They were shaped almost like women but made of bark and wood. The forest already was growing around then and it was doing so quickly, almost to the point where Shiina could actually see the plants grow on to them.

"Man of flesh and bone, leave!" Shiina shivered at the voice that came all around him. He then watched as women made of wood and glowing insides climbed out of the trees, literally out of them. "We have no more tolerance for your kind invading our home. Leave!" The center one, it was different than the other five that had appeared. She was larger and more tree like growths coming out from her body but she was missing a left arm but a new one looked to be growing back to replace it, and instead of a orange glow she had a purple one.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to intrude but… I was just looking for my friend." Shiina apologized as he didn't realize he had done these things he had been accused of.

"Are you… one of these Sekirei boy of fear and uncertainty? I feel the same strange air around you as the buddling had."

"U-uh yes… wait, was Kusano here?" At that the other tree woman retreated back into the trees from where they came. Leaving Shiina with the purple glowing one.

"Sekirei… your kind is strange to us… the buddling was one of your kind… but you… you are marked of death and entropy. Of rot and decay, so why… do you seek the girl that is your opposite? A buddling of life and growth."

"She's my friend. And I just want to make sure she's safe." Shiina answered with a bit more conviction. The tree woman regarded his words and stared at him with the same unblinking glowing eyes.

"She left with what you call Ashikabi. Hers, and one that I know of to be a safe place for her to grow and sprout. She is protected by a man of flesh and bone with the soul of the beasts of wings and scales."

"What? I don't really understand that last part but do you know who took her. I just want to know for myself tha… ack!" Shiina exclaimed as his throat was held tightly by the tree woman's right hand.

"You dare question my judgement? I left the buddling in the hands of the Dovahkiin, a being capable of killing beasts that have torched entire cities of you meat things. She will be safe so calm yourself." She said before dropping Shiina to the ground. "His companions called him Malist, that is all I know of his identity. And if you truly wish to meet him then remain with us and you shall meet when he comes to ward our home against you meat things forever more."

-o0o-

Malist was soaking in the bath before heading to bed. The aches and pains of the day of fighting melting away. The water was boiling, he liked it that way as his body was able to handle to higher heat. A side effect of being the Dragon Born. Only the top half of his head showed as he joyfully drifted around the rather big tub, just high enough out of the water for his ears to be out so he could listen to the music he had set up nearby. One thing of the few things Malist enjoyed about this would, though that list was slowly growing, was this world's expansive range of music. Back in Nirn there was a very limited amount of the type of music around. There was bard music, classical music that only appeared at the parties nobility threw… and… maybe a few camp fire songs. Malist enjoyed American classic rock, ranging from Elvis to Johnny Cash. Thought recently he had been given a taste for jazz from Serana who enjoyed that area of music greatly. Erik was expectedly into more heavy metal and a bit of rap. Aela had ignored the whole thing… but Serana had mentioned that Aela had gone to one or two concerts.

"But she wouldn't say what band… or even genre… but that smile… it had to be embarrassing." Malist mused out loud. The water distorting his voice. Malist continued to float there with a satisfied look in his eyes. His mind just enjoying the peace and boiling temperature. He really did like it this hot, and it was the main deterrent for certain people from joining him. Which was good given Miya's rules on such things. Musubi when she first saw his bathing habits worried about his safety. But after watching him take his boiling bath and come out perfectly fine she calmed down. "I've got dragon scale skin… hehe… sorry Musubi but I'm not sorry." The intense heat also kept out the girl that constantly spied on him. It only took one Aura Whisper to know just how many people were actually in the boarding house. And just one Ethereal Shout to spy on her unnoticed. The act of passing through the wall of screens did sent them into static like many thought a ghost would. "Oh I wonder if there is a woman alive that would be able to handle the heat… not likely. Hehehe… **Yol!** " Malist shouts and sent a breath of fire into the water heating up even further to the point that if Malist was a normal human being he would begin to cook himself.

"I feel a little insulted now." Malist opened his eyes and looked over to see Serana sitting nearby… completely naked. It wasn't like Malist didn't have any idea what she looked like naked, the Vampire was very open with her body around him. Disturbingly so, Malist personally didn't find it funny or amusing.

"You are not a woman… you are a Dark Lady of the Night and Queen of all that is badass."

"Nice save…" She said with a slightly friendly smile and not so friendly tone saying _I'll remember that._ "… I see that you have found another Sekirei to emerge as they call it."

"Yes… but I have no interest in her like that so get that idea out of your sick and twisted mind."

"I have found memories of using my sick and twisted mind for our mutual benefit. But as for the girl… you may not feel that way currently… however that does not mean she might. She's young but from what I've been able to gather, the bond between Sekirei and Ashikabi is built of love. Sekirei are not in any way an off shout of humans or even a cousin species, it would be comparing Man with Beastfolk. Their strange connection with humans seems to be one of a symbiotic relationship with an outside species, the fact they look exactly like humans is purely chance."

"You raided MBI didn't you?" Serana merely chuckled at that. Yes she did but she also did something better in a way, a way that was more like going right to the source in the form of Miya.

"Sekirei and Ashikabi are bonded to each other, in what appears to be a very deep manner. Built on mutual and current genetic compatibility. Your bodies reacted in some way that MBI does not yet understand that simply knows that the two are perfect for each other. The best way I guess I could explain it would be… is that you and Musubi would develop feelings…" At that Malist began to mutter a failing defense at that. "… for each other, the Sekirei and Ashikabi bond simply… speeds up this quite rapidly. Malist… are you denying that you feel something for the girl?" Serana said as she noticed that the young Dovahkiin was still muttering in the bath.

"I… I will admit that something about her is different and… I feel something when I'm around her." He said looking up to the ceiling as he recalled that night that they were looking for apartments and how Musubi cheered him up by believing in him. "So does this mean that I'm going to start feeling things for Kusano because that I have an issue with."

"No, unlikely… for now. Kusano is still a child. And will need time to grow. The research on this is very limited but the prevailing theory is that around fifteen or sixteen years of age Sekirei start to develop that side of the Ashikabi bond. On a side note… Musubi seems to have something a little wrong with her because at her age she should be much more aggressive in her pursuit of a sexual relationship with her Ashikabi."

"I don't think she would be oppose to it… but currently under my lease… nope." Malist said as he shook his head.

"That's not what I meant, according to the data MBI states that Musubi should be actively looking for that side of your relationship. Not passively agreeable to the idea. The Ashikabi bond is like a biological marriage…" At that Malist fell back into the water in shock. Serana waited for him to come back up to finish her sentence. "… for the Sekirei. One a lot stronger than normal human emotion. As I said before, a symbiotic relationship. One built on emotional love. Not only that MBI for some reason seems to have indoctrinated the Sekirei even further into this mindset." That last part Serana mumbled to herself quietly enough for Malist not to ear. She turned her glowing red eyes back to Malist who was looking down at his reflection in the water. 'I'm not sure how this thing will all end, I'm guessing you're not going to go along with MBI's plans right?"

"No fucking way." Malist growled out. "There is no way I am letting this shit go on with the idea that people out there are being given something as amazing as true love only for it to be taken in some game for the amusement of some asshat." There was a small salience hat followed Malist declaration heard by three women in the building. Before Serana broke the quiet with a smile and a few words.

"Did you just admit that you love your Sekirei Malist?"

"NO! I didn't… that isn't… I just… fuck!" Malist grumbled as his head began to hurt.

-o0o-

Malist sat up in his bed with only a small candle to light his reading. Musubi was currently asleep in her bed on the other side of the small room they shared. He was at the moment reading the Wolf Queen Vol.3. He had already read through the entire series but it was still something to take his mind off the day's events. Kusano was sleeping in Miya's room as it had been decided that was the best course of action.

As he continued to read about the infamous Wolf Queen his mind irritatingly continued to return to the thoughts on just why would Musubi and Kusano pick him. The conversation in the bath had brought this topic to his attention much to his irritation. Yes, he had skills and powers that made the choice have logical sense but that wasn't what they were choosing him on. They generally liked to be around him and lately Malist was having a harder and harder time denying the idea of it being more than that. The information Serana gave him only making it harder. The idea scared him, mostly that if that was true than what was his dream? If he himself was good enough for them, than what did that make of his dream to be better, to be who he truly was supposed to be. This crisis of identity made it a little difficult to go to sleep. So Malist spent it reading as he did when sleep wouldn't come.

Unknown to him however, someone had been able to pierce his warding. He was now being watched by a certain someone in the nearby secret room. As it would seem that all the paranoia and sneakiness that came with having the skills of a Thieves Guild Master was pointless in the face of a determined and slightly unhinged Sekirei.

"Hehehe… I got passed that thingy you set up. I have no idea how you managed to keep all cameras and audio recorders from functioning but I figured it out." Matsu chuckled as she stared at the rather fuzzy feed she was getting from the small camera she placed above the ceiling tiles. "Only cameras that are IN the room go on the fritz, but if I put one just a little outside… I knew it would work. And this challenge is only the tip of the iceberg for one Malistantius Caeraso. How did he cut me off from his room, if be temporally? What is this special power he seems to possess? Who was that chick with the glowing red eyes? And how, with at first seemingly only being a loser that failed the college entrance exam twice gain two Sekirei. The mysteries surrounding this man are so utterly fascinating. It's no wonder I'm working so hard to keep my eyes on him."

-o0o-

"Big brother… wake up." Kusano said as she tried to push Malist awake. It was early in the morning but he still had to go to work. Something that Kusano didn't like nor understand why her big brother had to do. But the nice land lady said that he needed to go to work or they couldn't live here anymore. So Kusano was now trying to wake him up so he wouldn't be late. "Big brother… wake up."

"Raaga…" Malist grumbled incoherently as he pushed Kusano's face away from his bed.

"Big Brother you need to get up." The young girl said taking the hand and trying to pull him out from his3 bed. Malist just grumbled some more and pulled back. It soon become a tug of war between the sleepy Dovahkiin and young Sekirei. Eventually the _adult_ in this won and was able to huddle back up in his bed. It was at that point that Kusano decided to get serious. She turned back to Musubi who was also still asleep. Kusano walked over to the other Sekirei and whispered into her ear that they were going to miss breakfast. The effect was immediate, Musubi shot out of her bed and grabbed Malist out of his and ran down stairs leaving a slightly bewildered Kusano satisfied with her good job. The young Sekirei walked downstairs to find a happily eating Musubi and a grumbling only half awake Malist.

"Good job Kusano in getting these two out of bed." Miya complemented from her own spot at the table. Kusano smiled and quickly took her spot next to her Ashikabi who was busy glaring at his breakfast and mumbling something about fire roasted fish and apples. "So Malist nothing new today but work I assume?" Miya asked clearly either not reading his mood or having some other plan in mind.

"Just work and then to bed, not feeling very good today." Malist grumbled, keeping his answer quick with only a small amount of venom to it. Miya internally sighed at this, his pride it seemed had not healed from saving Kusano. The reason for that Miya could easily guessed that something had happened that only compounded on what she had told him yesterday morning.

"And you Musubi, any plans for the day?"

"I was hoping that you could train me some more. I had no idea that our landlady would be so strong."

"I'd be happy to help… would you like to once again join us before you off to work Malist?" Miya said with a completely straight face as if not knowing what range of reactions that might bring from him. Thankfully all Malist did was what she assumed was begin to mutter curses under his breath in a language she didn't know. Though if by the number of words he used was anything to go by, there were a lot of curses this young man knew. "What was that Malist, I afired I didn't understand you?"

"No thank you…" Malist grinded out before standing up and walking out of the room, continuing his mutterings.

"Is something wrong with Malist?" Musubi asked clearly not understanding what was going on between him and their landlady.

"Malist is not the kind of boy that handles losing well. He also has a lot on his mind concerning who he thinks he should be and part of that is being the best and winning. So, when I beat him yesterday… it seems to have clashed with what he thought to what is true in this world." Miya explained while at the same time not giving away too much. Some things she wasn't supposed to know as far as Malist was aware. " _It was how I beat him, or more accurately the fact I beat his Shout. That has shaken him. Before our little spar he must have thought it to be his ultimate trump card and from how he's acting… last night must have proved that to him more so than is comfortable with him._ " Miya thought as she sipped some tea. This was going to have to be discussed with her new Vampire friend, they needed to speak about exactly what needed to be done in order to move Malist in a better direction.

-o0o-

Malist had a normal day at work. And for some strange irritating reason that he would curse forever… it felt good to have something so boring and normal happen. He was the Dovahkiin and that meant he should strive for excitement and valor in battle worthy of admittance into Sovngarde. But the boring and tedious work was a breath of fresh air to him. Erik was there as he was yesterday and Hibiki and Hikari showed up to give Erik his lunch so the reminder of the Sekirei was still in his mind.

Mostly he thought about tactics and strategies while his body was on a form of working mode auto-pilot. He thought about the various plans and ideas that he could use in the upcoming battles. Not with Sekirei but with MBI, he had no interest in fighting with people that he considered to be victims in all of this. Those Ashikabi that forced themselves on their Sekirei didn't count as he would be putting arrows in their heads. That was his plan for the scum if it turned out that Sekirei could find their true Ashikabi after their fake ones died. If not… then Malist was going to have to… _teach_ … those pitiable Ashikabi how to treat their Sekirei right.

For MBI itself however… that was a tough one for him. He would need resources and allies. His fellow Ashikabi and their Sekirei could certainly help but they lacked the numbers to take on the mega-corporation. If Malist really worked at it he could summon around ten Atronachs that would stay in the material world permanently. If he gave a Grand Soul Gem to power each Atronach, he could keep more or less three hundred that would last for about a year before they would need replacement Gems. Zombies could be used as they required far less fuel to maintain. But Zombies were… morally dubious at best. He would either need to commit entirely to guerrilla style warfare or find an outside source of soldiers for a more conventual means of fighting MBI.

The idea of contacting an Earthling government had crossed his mind… once. He dismissed it as he knew that it would land in him, and the Sekirei in some black site lab. No government on this planet was beholden to the name of Dragon Born or any of the other titles he carried. To this world, on the surface he was some failure who couldn't get into college and if they found out the truth… lab table and dissection for the rest of his life.

The idea of the Spriggans had also been on his mind. They could be a effective fighting force and their numbers could be brought up if given adequate time and resources. Resources that amounted to water and sunlight. The problem was in convincing them that this war was something they needed or even wanted to be a part of. Kusano was a one time thing, her powers of life and plants gave her a connection to the Spriggan which is why they even bothered with her in the first place. So they were a avenue that was all but hopeless to pan out.

But their very presence raised possibilities… ones that spawned even greater ones. Of possibly returning to Nirn. Something had sent the Spriggan here. And if had been Sheogorath, why… but the answer to that was like asking why a insane man babbles on and on about nonsense. You would get no logical answer and any answer you do get would make your head hurt. But the Spriggan sent were to… well placed. Not only had they been sent to the same relative time as Malist and his friends, but also same city. And even more strangely right when Kusano was all alone and needed them. It was unlikely that they were in the Arboretum before Kusano showed up, that theory was even more impossible given the number the Spriggan had. There were reasons behind these events. What they were Malist had no idea but it suggested that something, likely the Daedra, were planning something. Sheogorath was a likely tool of use for the puppet master… maybe Molag Bal or Clavicus Vile. Those were the two Malist thought might try to pull something off, his personal pick was the latter. But if this was all some plot by the Daedra, that meant they had to be coming here at some point either to enjoy the fruits of their meddling or finish whatever plan they had set in motion. Either way, it meant that they would want to return to Nirn… or Oblivion which was in some way connected to Nirn. It was a long shot, but one that could be theorized to be possible.

And while all of these theories and possibilities were hopeful, they were not relevant for the time being. Malist drew upon the Skyrim civil war to better understand what was going to be needed. One, he would need a base of operations. His current home could not be this, he needed a secure location that could house many people, troops and the Ashikabi and Sekirei that would or could not fight.

Second, he would need money… and a lot of it. One of the few memories he had of Skyrim was a funny one of Ulfric pounding his head on a table as he and several of his advisers going over the financial side of the war. Malist remembered that part of the saving grace of the Stormcloak rebellion was that their soldiers were far more willing to fight for very little actual pay than when you compared them to the Empire's Legions. Fighting for their homeland was more than enough for many.

Third, he would need information. He needed to find out as much as he could about Sekirei and MBI. This could be done with a bit of infiltrating into MBI's headquarters, a place that Malist had already decided on burring to the ground at some point.

And lastly as said before he would need numbers. Enough to the point he could occupy the city. Just long enough for him dismantle the Sekirei plan and take of MBI. He would then use the company to look into that hopeful idea of one day returning to Nirn. This time with his Sekirei… and things like the internet, cars, electricity and guns. Ulfric would be happy to have such things in his plans to reconquer the entire Empire as Tiber Septim once did. The Empire had clearly lost its way following the war with the Elves and so it would need a Nord to once again fix things.

"Should I go for a fully above ground compound… or should I have the entire thing under with only a few small buildings as access points…" Malist mused on his plans as he walked through the arboretum. The place still held the massive forest that Kusano had created, he could feel a bit of the Spriggan magic pulsing through the woods. But it was feint, and slowly lessening. Not dying, no… it wasn't dying but the power was receding. Malist could tell that it was likely from the Spriggans pulling all of their power with the idea of growing more sisters. "While a underground base would give us the privacy we would need… building it… oh that would be tough." Malist walked through the cave leading into the heart of the forest. "Maybe a bunker built under a above ground campus." Malist stepped into the chamber and found exactly what he was expecting, the Spriggans were all huddling around several small growing plants that would eventually become full Spriggans. But there was something among the tree women that he was not expecting… a small human… Malist wanted to say girl. "Haven't we been through this already?" He said as he approached the sisterhood. Most of the Spriggans only gave a small look of notice to the Dovahkiin and then returned to their watching of their growing sisters. But the group surrounding the boy which included the Earth Mother fully faced Malist.

"Man with soul of beast of wings and scales… you have returned as you said you would. Now you will ward this place from this world of cold metal and soulless machines."

"I got a new deal for you… which we will get to after you tell me why you have a little… kid… with you." Malist said as he looked down to the silver haired young child.

"This Sekirei came to us looking for the buddling, he wishes to see her and thus we let him wait for your return with us." The Earth Mother said before pushing the now confirmed boy toward Malist. "Please remove him from our home, he sinks of rot and decay."

"Are you Kusano's Ashikabi?" The young Sekirei asked as he rubbed his shoulder after the Earth Mother pushed him.

"Yes, why do you want to see her?" Malist said a little careful about this boy. The Earth Mother had said he sunk of rot and decay, that could give a hint at his powers given how they reacted to Kusano's powers.

"She's my friend, I just… I want to make sure she is safe." He said with a steely conviction in his eyes that spoke of a bond between the two Sekirei. Malist scanned the boy for a moment and then looked up to the Earth Mother.

"That is what he told us when he came. Now remove him from our home and do as you promised… and no speak of new deal."

"Nope, you will listen to this new deal because it will give you so much more than the one we have." Malist said as he pushed the boy behind him and stepped forward. "Because at this very moment the city around this forest is planning on chopping it down. I doubt they will do so to the entire forest but… you need as much nature as you can get. Not only that but if they stumble upon this place they will question they can't get in, and they will search for answers."

"Speak of this new deal, you offer but you also want. So speak."

"First off… I want your word that should I need your aid in battle you will answer… this obligation will only be asked of you once reach your former numbers. Second, please for the love of Nocturnal stay away from the outside world. I know I shouldn't have to ask you people this but I just want to put in on the record. Third, and I am surprised by having to say this…" Malist said before pulling the young Sekirei back and holding for the Spriggans to see. "… if you find any kids… just… contact me and I will call the police."

"You are jesting with us, refrain from doing so man of flesh and meat. You seek alliance with me and my sisters, for what purpose would we want one with the Dovahkiin in this world?"

"Well for starters, not only would I ward this place but the entire forest." That caught the Earth Mother's attention. "This would be one of Illusion Magicka, tripping people up and getting them lost if they delve too deep into the forest. The ward would also help with growth and strengthen the woods, I won't be able to maintain it though, you would have to provide the power. This might mean you won't be able to regrow your numbers as fast but it is a better long term plan."

"We of the earth and root always understand the need for time. We will take this deal, safety and isolation are needed here in this world above numbers. But our side of this bargain you understand will be minimal."

"I know, I just want to make sure I can put you in as allies rather than a neutral faction that might turn enemy."

"Wise Dovahkiin… wise. Very well… leave this place with that child and Ward our dominion." Malist gave a small nodded and began pulling the young Sekirei with as he left.

"Best to leave while they still are on our side." He whispered to the young boy and the Sekirei understood and walked quickly with the Ashikabi out of the chamber. Malist made quick work of setting the needed Grand Soul Gems in the proper places around the arboretum. It would Ward of the deepest part of the forest to the point where anyone not guided by a Spriggan would get lost and turn around and back to the more public areas of the arboretum. The forest would also grow denser with only a few paths into the deep heart of the Spriggans' territory. Shiina, the young Sekirei, had watched Malist do all of this with a curious eye as Magicka was something he had never seen before. The young boy also loved the ride from spot to spot on the back of Malist skeletal steed Arvak. "… and then I leaned over a told him… the only reason I even ruined your plot was because I made the mistake getting drunk with the Daedra of debauchery. The look on his face… utterly priceless." Malist said as he recounted the story of the time he had foiled a plot of a magic cult that planned to some evil of some kind, exactly what the Dovahkiin even back with his full memories did not care to remember. And it was true, the only reason why he even stumbled upon the plot was because the Daedra Lord Sanguine got Malistantius drunk and the next morning Malistantius had to do damage control over everything that had happen the night before and it ended up in some old fort that housed the cult.

"Wow, that is funny." Shiina chuckled as the two of them rode through the Spriggans' forest on the Arvak. The skeletal horse enjoyed the presence of the Sekirei as it could feel the connection of death between them. The two were currently on their way out of the forest now that Malist had finished preparing the warding for his end of the deal.

"It was not at the time I will tell you that… that night I trashed a temple, got married to a hag, and…" Malist stopped talking as he noticed something. "… cold… something is cold." He felt something nearby, something he had felt before. He couldn't place where or what but it was something familiar. And it this strange feeling felt almost wrong to the Dovahkiin, almost like it was more of echo than a full… whatever it was.

"I don't feel anything…" Shiina said as he looked around. Malist wasn't listening as he stared at the source of the chilling air and strange feeling. There wasn't anything there but that was the direction of the source.

"Kid, hold on." As he said this Arvak began moving off the already limited path they had been treading and began moving through the woods until Arvak needed to be dispelled. The two males then began moving through the forest with Malist leading the way. Eventually even Shiina began to feel the growing cold but this only confirmed something or more accurately someone for Malist. The final confirmation came at the sight of one of the Sekirei from last night that come to claim Kusano. She was injured and looked to be on the verge of unconsciousness and possibly death. Her body and clothes had been ripped and scared by the Spriggans' attacks. She was still aware enough to notice Malist nearing her and moved a hand to send an attack of ice towards him. Malist just used a small Calming Spell on the injured woman before looking back to Shiina and wordless telling him to stay back. "I'm not going to hurt you, so let just keep this peaceful."

"I need… I need to… return to my master…" She tried to move but her body would barely respond. "I can not… be…"

"Shh… not right now you can." Malist said as he kneeled down next to the woman. He held a small ball of Magicka in his hand and let it wash over her, it healed most of her more dire wounds. They weren't entirely gone, just softened to the point where she was no longer in immediate danger. Malist then went to work actually healing her though it would take a while before she could properly move. While he did that with one hand of magic the other he used to perform a diagnostic of her injuries. But what he found in her body sickened him far more than the injuries. Those she had earned in fighting the Spriggans, but what was going on IN her body was what disgusted him. There was clear evidence of invasive experimentation and medical abuses. " _Was this done by her Ashikabi… no… no… she never even had a chance for that. MBI has moved up from me burning them down to me hunting them down with summoned Daedra… if I can summon them. If not… feeding them to a horde of Zombies._ " Malist raged as he learned more and more about the extent of internal disfigurement.

"W-what are you doing?" She said as she regained a bit more awareness of her surroundings. Malist also took note of the emotionless tone she had, her face a pure blank to everything.

"Healing you… with magic. But no seriously I am healing you." Malist said as he worked on the gash on her leg. She looked down and saw it begin to stich itself up and heal as naturally as possible but at a rate that clearly was anything but natural.

"Why… why would you help me? We were enemies not too long ago."

"None of the Sekirei are my enemy. You all deserve to find your Ashikabi and live happy lives. And I will see that you all do. Even you." He said as he expected how she would respond to that.

"I am discarded, I am unable to find my Ashikabi. But I will continued to serve the one that…"

"Your wrong… I can fix you up." Malist interrupted and there was a sudden flash of true emotion on her face, shock and then anger.

"Do not taught me with the impossible." Her voice was what he assumed was the equivalent of screaming for her. It was actually a little cute to him given that it wasn't impossible and he was already doing just that.

"This magic I'm using is called Restoration, and its core is in its name. To restore, to bring things back to how they should be. And in this case, Magic is going to make science its bitch." Malist kicked the power level of the spell a bit higher at that as he moved from using just one hand for the spell to both. The Sekirei could feel the warmth of the healing Magicka wash over her, everything inside of her that felt missing, wrong, or ever hurt now suddenly began feeling right. Whole and right. "Your master… I know he's not your Ashikabi. So why do you follow him?" Malist asked as he wanted to confirm a few things.

"He found me… he took me in when I had been discarded."

"Uhuh… and where is he now?"

"I… do not know." Behind the face of cold impassiveness that was this woman's face Malist could feel immense hurt.

"After your fight with the Spriggans… you retreated. And your fellow Sekirei left you to die… on his orders right?" Malist growled conveying his disgust with this action.

"She said… this mission had been to be to prove if I was worth the trouble. I failed… I failed and now I have once again been discarded. But I need to return… I need to…"

"You will not be any such thing. Once you are all healed, you will go out and find the person that you are meant for." Malist said as he gave a stern look to the woman. He would make sure that each and every one of the Sekirei would be as happy and whole as Musubi and Kusano. The look of pure joy and contentment they had in their faces when they were with him were all the reason for him to fight for the Sekirei cause. Malist was so caught up in his internal storm of anger and dedication that he didn't notice the look of awe and longing the Ice Sekirei was giving him.

" _He came to me even though we were enemies… and he healed me with no reason to do so. And… he's giving me back what was taken…_ " Something within her mind soon clicked and only one thing came to her mind. " _I cannot lose him. He is the one I am destined for even though I have yet to feel it… I already know it._ " Malist then looked her over with one last wave of the diagnostic spell before looking toward her face.

"One last piece and you should be all healed…" He said before turning his right hand into a glowing green ball of Magicka. He reached out to her forehead and with one touch the Sekirei yelled out in shock as she felt her Sekirei mark fade off from her forehead and reappear at the base of the back of her neck like every other Sekirei. "There… and with that… uph?!" Malist was surprised by the woman he had just healed grabbed on to his waist and knock him on his back with her following. " _Oh no no no no… I know what's coming!_ "

"I'm sorry but I can't lose you too." She said before leaning in and kissing Malist. The light from her winging enveloping both of them and the part of the forest they were in. As the light died down the Ice Sekirei Akitsu was holding on to her Ashikabi with a very rare smile of perfect contentment on her lips. Having no idea that Malist was no longer of sound and sober mind.

"Malist!" Akitsu reacted quickly and formed several ice spears ready to hit the person that was intruding on their moment. "Wait, I'm not here to fight!" Shiina said as he held up his hands in an attempt to show that he didn't mean any threat. Akitsu scanned the young Sekirei but didn't lower her guard, any Sekirei could hold some dangerous power. "Uh… I think you should look down… something is wrong with Malist." It took her a moment to recognize that was the name of her Ashikabi… the fact she had kissed a man that she didn't even have the name of didn't cross her mind as strange at all. He was her Ashikabi after all. But when she did indeed look down she found Malist completely out of it, he was unresponsive and his head swayed slightly in a intoxicated manner.

"Is... is this normal for a Ashikabi after a winging?" She asked the younger Sekirei as she had never seen this happen before.

"I don't think so… and… I don't know how to fix him… or where he lives." Shiina said as he realized that they were now in a forest owned by not so friendly tree ladies with a incapacitated Malist who is the only one able of keeping the Spriggan docile. And now he was with a woman that was not so long ago was fighting the tree women. And they had no idea of how to get out of the forest of angry tree women who really didn't like them.

-o0o-

"Musubi… Malist should have returned from work by, now right?" Miya asked as she set the table with Musubi helping while Kusano watched. She needed to learn how so she could help later.

"Uh… yeah… but he said he needed to do something after work so he might be a little late hehehe…" Musubi chuckled shakily. She knew about his plan to go back to the forest with the Spriggans but she knew he should have returned a while ago. And she was starting to get worried.

"Musubi… you know you can tell me anything right?" Miya said with her standard friendly yet demonic mask of dread inducing voice.

"Ah… yeah… but… but…" Musubi tried fight the fear that was coming over her. "Uh… Malist said that if he ever was in trouble I need to call his friend Erik." Musubi nervously stated and quickly left the room to do just that. Twenty minutes later there was a ring at the door.

"Yo little bear cub!" Erik said as he gave a friendly bear hug to Musubi after she opened the door for him.

"Crushing… me…" Musubi was shocked to find that Erik was able to exert such strength for being just a human.

"Oh you can take it…" He chuckled as he released her. "… so did something happened to the boss? What happened?" He said as he and his Sekirei entered the boarding house.

"He was supposed to go back to the forest after work and handle things with the tree women but… he should have been back a long time ago. Do you think they might have turned on him?"

"Possibly, then again… Spriggans aren't known for being backstabbers… but they rarely make deals to begin with. Tough to say." Erik said as he scratched his short beard. "But the boss is the boss. He can handle the tree women. It's not like they have the numbers anymore to be a real threat."

"I know Malist is strong but… I'm worried. I don't like the idea of him being out there alone fighting when I know I could be helping." Erik smiled as he watched the Sekirei pensively look down at the ground.

"We can go into the forest to look for him. I'm sure he's fine but I'm also sure he'd like the gesture." Erik said before sniffing the air. He then leaned to the side with his eyes trained on the dining room. "But…" Both of his Sekirei facepalmed as they knew what was coming. "…we'll go after we eat, shame to waste a home cooked meal."

"Could you stop thinking with your stomach for once. Your friend might be in trouble and all you can think about is stuffing your face?!" Hikari scolded as she started sparking lightning in her hand. Her sister resigning herself to a small sigh.

"Musubi invited here and there is food… it would be rude of us not to eat. Besides… the boss can handle himself. He's the last person I'd worry about."

-o0o-

Akitsu was having a hard time understanding just what was wrong with her Ashikabi. Ever since she had been winged by him he remained in the strange state he was currently in. He was unresponsive and could barely stand on his own. Every now and then he would mumble something in some language that neither her or Shiina understood. And sometimes he would reach out and his hand would disappear only to return with some item of no real purpose. When he had first done so Akitsu worried but Shiina had told her that he had seen him do this before and that it was fine. It was more of Malist's magic, a spell that stored various things for him. She wished that he could tell her what he was needing but as he was barely able to articulate anything of real merit that wasn't going to happen.

To make matters worse, they were completely and utterly lost. Shiina had tried to return to the minimal path that him and Malist had been on before leaving it to find Akitsu but to no success. Now they wandered the woods hoping to find some path or maybe the edge. But it no matter where they went they never seemed to find any landmarks they could use to find their way out. Shiina had said that Malist had made a deal with the tree women to set up some sort of barrier that would do just that. Shiina had been surprised that they had already turned it on. So now they were trying to get the attention of the Spriggan as Akitsu found out they were called. Shiina had tried to kill some of the trees but found that his power no longer worked on them, likely due to the secondary effect of the warding Malist had set up. So right now all they could do was set up a fire and hope that would do it.

Akitsu was standing guard over her incapacitated Ashikabi as he slept by the fire. He had fallen asleep as they were setting up their camp and Akitsu hoped that he would be returned to normal once he awakened. Shiina was poking at the fire trying to keep it going. The forest was quiet, only a brief wind through the leaves and the sound of the fire were heard. Akitsu didn't mind, she was used to the quiet and so long as her Ashikabi was safe she was content.

"Uh… I'm not sure that…" Shiina didn't get to finish his sentence as a hunting spear pierced the ground inches from his body. Akitsu instantly reacted to the threat and moved to defend Malist while Shiina just huddled behind the older and unconscious male.

"Step away from him and you might get out of this alive." Akitsu watched as hulking man in finely crafted silver steel armor, intricately covered in Viking like runes. His face was covered in the helmet that matched his armor, built to resemble a wolf's head. And in his hands a great sword made out of what looked to be bone.

"I will not." Akitsu stated as the ground and air around grew increasingly cold to the point of freezing. "By the bond we share I will never abandon my Ashikabi."

"Wait what…" He seemed confused by that and in that moment Akitsu made her move. Paying no mind to the possible reasons for his confusion as he had threatened them and she was not going to let anything happen to Malist. She formed several icicles in the air and sent them flying towards the armored man. She was impressed that he was able to move out of the way of most of them and even able to cut the two that he could not avoid. She formed more and was prepared to send them toward him but instead reformed them into a shield to block the incoming lightning attack. Through the newly formed holes in her ice shield Akitsu was able to see the two lightning Sekirei Hikari and Hibiki. "Hold off! I think we might be misunderstanding something here." The armored man said as he planted his sword in the ground. "Did you just say that he's your Ashikabi?" Akitsu lowered the ice wall and nodded giving confirmation. "By the love of Talos… how… what… when…" The man grumbled and then looked over to Malist. "Just wake him up so we can just get a explanation."

"We've been trying to but he's out of it pretty bad." Shiina called out as he stood up. But the armored man didn't respond for a moment and then started chuckling.

"Boy… did he… with you to?" The man chuckled in a way that Akitsu found slightly irksome but she didn't show it as normal.

"No, I just am following him because he's Kusano's Ashikabi and I want to see her." Shiina said defensively.

"Alright alright, just joking here." He said as he finished his chuckling and then took off his helmet showing his ruggedly handsome face. Though Akitsu didn't even have that thought cross her mind as no one could ever even compare to Malist to her. "And why is the boss out of it?"

"When he winged Musubi he was pretty out of it too. Maybe the same thing happened when she was winged." Hibiki pointed to Akitsu as she remembered that Malist seemed pretty passive after emerging Musubi.

"That is correct, after he winged me my Ashikabi went into the state he currently is in." Akitsu said stepping over the fact it was mostly her who ambushed kissed Malist. More than likely because she didn't see it that way.

"Okay, I get it." The armored man said as he reached into the same storage spell Akitsu had seen Malist use. He pulled out a small flask of brown liquid and held it up to the sky. "Oh great sobering drought, savior of mornings and vanquisher of hangovers… please… I call to your name to heal my friend."

"Get on with it already. I want to go back home and out of this forest." Hikari complained with her sister nodding next to her.

"Fine…" The man said as he walked over to Malist and handed the flask to Shiina who got the message. The young Sekirei opened Malist mouth and poured the liquid in. Five seconds later Malist was coughing and clenching his throat.

"Oh fuck! That… that… is some nasty shit." Malist coughed as he huddled in the fetal position. "I hate that stuff… just give me some hash and gravy and any hangover is gone." Malist grumbled before pushing himself off the ground and leaning on the armored man for a moment to get his balance. "Okay… I think… I'm okay."

"Good, now can we please leave this Divines damned forest already?"

"Erik… yeah. Sure, I've already done everything I needed to do…" He then looked over to Akitsu who continued to remain the bastion of passive blankness as she had been. "… and a little bit more apparently." Malist said before pushing of his friend and beginning to walk forward not giving Akitsu another glance. Internally the Ice Sekirei was confused as to the behavior of her Ashikabi but continued to not show it beyond a small look of worry in her eyes.

-o0o-

Eventually the group made it out of the forest with Malist guiding them. As he was the one who set up the warding he knew how it worked and was able to move through it with ease. At the moment it was just Malist, Erik, Akitsu, and Shiina heading back to Izumo Inn. The twin Sekirei had been sent to their and Erik's home once they had left the forest as their job had been finished but Erik still wanted to discuss a few things with Malist.

"So… what's her story?" Eirk asked in the tongue of Tamriel as to keep the conversation private. Erik gave a small look back to Akitsu who was walking back a bit with Shiina as she had felt that Malist wanted just to be with his friend for right now. Erik knew that Malist didn't mean to give the Ice Sekirei the cold shoulder, no pun intended as Erik was not a very big fan of them. But the Nord didn't really know the details.

"She is a Sekirei and she had been experimented on before the Sekirei Plan had begun. From what had been done to her… I'd say they were trying to see if it was possible to kill off her and possibly any Sekirei ability to bond with a Ashikabi. After doing so… they just left here out in the cold with no one to help her. I'm also fairly sure she had been abused both physically and sexually. Though the latter might have happened after MBI threw her out given the timeline of injuries she sustained." Malist could hear the growl of anger from Erik and he agreed with the sentiment. "In the very short time I've known her and from the way she acts, I can already tell she suffering from the whole thing mentally, and very severally at that."

"Yeah… she's differently a quiet one. And that look on her face… I've never seen someone have such a permanent poker face like that."

"It's possible that might be part of her normal personality. Only amplified by what she went through. Sekirei are by their nature hold a completely different mindset than humans do. The whole never being able to have Ashikabi and being thrown out by MBI probably had more of an effect on her than any… abuse that happened after." Malist still felt sick at the thought of what happened to her after being sent to live on the street. "In any case, I had healed her and she was able to have a Ashikabi again afterward. Honestly I really should have seen what happened next coming. I had just given her back something so integral and important to all Sekirei, the idea that she would have taken this as a sign that I am her Ashikabi isn't hard to believe. Not only that… but what she said before kissing me also gives me a small clue as to the other reason why she did it."

"What'd she say?"

"I can't lose you too. She was abandoned by the Ashikabi that had found her once she had failed in bring in Kusano. Bastard is going to be getting a arrow to the nuts for that. But, he was the one who found her on the street and likely quote unquote saved her. So when she was abandoned by this person that saved her, I think she was afraid that I as the second person to do so would also abandon her. Maybe not in the same deliberate way but still that didn't matter. I had showed up and saved her, and she didn't want to have the same thing happen again… what are you smiling about?"

"Oh nothing…" Erik chuckled as he turned his head back to face forward. "… it's just that you're just being you." He said causing Malist to go wide eyed. He understood to what Erik was referring to. That he was acting more like Malistantius. "These Sekirei are doing a lot for you, your acting more and more like yourself every time I see you with them. And then at the same time you're doing things that you would never do. Honestly it's all very confusing and it just makes Serana sound a lot more right in her idea that your more your own son than yourself."

"That is just crazy. I'm me. Not my own son… because that's crazy."

"And yet you act like your old self only half the time… what does that sound like?"

"Shut up, it's a stupid analogy and that is it." Malist pouted and than began walking faster leaving Erik behind a bit. Erik felt that Malist was only proving the theory even more so by acting like an irritable teenager. The four kept this distance from each other as they walked to Malist's boarding home. Once they had reached said boarding house Erik gave one last bear hug to Malist, who did protest, and then left in a hurry back to his apartment. "Now before we go in, you…" Malist pointed to Shiina. "… are just a friend of Kusano and nothing more. The Sekirei Plan is a secret and while I give no shits to its rules, I rather not have MBI make a fuss this early in the opening stages. And then you…" Malist pointed to Akitsu. "…are… huh… let's just go with my other Sekirei Musubi's sister that needs a place to stay. I really need to move along with my plans to find my own place." Malist sighed before turning back and walking up to the door. The second he opened it a crack it swung open and he was hit by a train named Musubi.

"Malist! I'm so happy you're okay!" Musubi cried happily as she clung on to the downed Dovahkiin. Pulling his face into her generous bust as she did so. Malist tried to say something but his voice had been muffled to quite the degree. Standing nearby, Akitsu felt something new in her chest that she would later recognize as jealousy. "I was so worried that something had happened to you."

"Well as you can see…" Malist said as he was able to push himself out of Musubi's grip. "… I'm fine. But thank you for sending Erik to fetch me." He said as he stood up and dusted himself off. "Where is Kusano, I found someone that has been looking for her."

"I think she's finishing up the last of her homework before heading off to bed." Musubi said as she followed Malist inside, not giving much thought to the other two people with him. Although she did notice the very attractive woman that was giving her the lightest of looks. Though to be fair to Akitsu it was her equivalent of a very hard glare, not that Musubi knew this.

"Please take Shiina here to her, apparently these two were friends and he wants to make sure she's fine." Malist said nodding to the young Sekirei behind him.

"Okay, come on…" Musubi happily said as she escorted Shiina further into the boarding house. Leaving Malist and Akitsu behind to handle Miya who was coming out of the kitchen to see that Malist had returned safely.

"I see that you okay Malist, and you've brought home some company." Miya said as she approached the two, Malist already forming a small scowl and Akitsu taking a step closer to her Ashikabi as she had felt the level of difference between her and the landlady.

"The kid is a friend of Kusano, he has nothing to do with me other than that." Malist quickly stated before looking over to Akitsu… he knew his lie on this was a bad one. "And this is Akitsu, she's Musubi's sister and recently she got kicked out of her living arraignments." There was silence and Malist could swear that a tumbleweed passed between them. The entire scene screamed that was a terrible lie and no one is buying it.

"Oh… I see… well then we would have to go over your lease. Now that you have another adult with you." Miya said trying her best not to give away the fact she knew this was total BS.

"Yes I know." Malist sighed and the three walked off to the small office space that Miya kept for business. Malist once again used all his Thieves Guild training to bargain and swindle his way into a lease that highly favored him. Miya had to give it to him that his skills in negotiating were disturbingly good. It ended up being that Akitsu and Musubi would move into the unused room while Malist would stay in his room. This had been where Malist had to give ground to Miya in the negotiation. It wasn't his first choice to have the two very beautiful who were in some strange Sekirei way his wives move out of his room but he needed something to give Miya. Not only that but there was very little room for three beds and Miya's absolute rule on no sleeping together still stood. So while Musubi and Akitsu didn't like being so far from their Ashikabi, although the latter was not nearly as vocal about it in the normal sense, the sight of Miya's demon mask trick made all argument on the subject vanish.

-o0o-

Malist was leaning over his newly placed Alchemy Table. He had placed it where Musubi's bed had been, it had taken a bit of work to get her to move into her new room. While Malist appreciated her wanting to stay with him, Miya was just too scary to ignore her rules. And he had signed the new lease and he would not go back on an agreement he signed. He would lie, steal, and backstab his way through life but one thing he would not do is go back on a written deal he had agreed to. He had to draw a line somewhere.

"Can't do that… Giant's Toe is something I can't afford to waste. Until I find a good substitute I can't risk any waste…" Malist mumbled as he went over his various recipes that he had been working on since coming to this new world. Some of the plants he had brought with him were growing just fine in Earth but other types of ingredients weren't so easy to reproduce. "Ah… if I… no… no no no… that would not be good if after three days in a flask the potion would go boom." Malist grumbled as he continued to get more and more irritated at his lack of progress. The young Dovahkiin pushed himself away from the table and back into a waiting chair. "I only have a limited number of health potions. I can make highly diluted versions of them but their effects are fucking downgraded from the real thing. And what's worse… I only have five Cures on me. If one of us gets sick… damn. I need to be able to replace my stores quickly if I'm going to be thinking of war with MBI. I can heal and fix people up but I'm just one man. If I can figure out how to reproduce health and cure potions then that would be a major advantage I'll have." Malist mused out loud as he grabbed an apple from the nearby nightstand. "Maybe I'm going about…" He wasn't able to finish his thought as he turned his head to the door to his room opening. To his surprise it wasn't Musubi or Akitsu but Kusano who quickly rushed into the room and behind Malist with a frightened look on her face.

"Scary… scary ghost." Kusano sobbed as she held onto Malist arm like a lifeline.

"Aw… don't worry Kusano. If there any ghost in this house then… we'll hunt them down." Malist said with a dark chuckle that would scare the shit out of any normal person. To Kusano it was just Malist protecting her. Malist didn't really think there was a spirt of any kind in the building. He would have found one the night he moved in. But he was playing the part he needed to play. Malist stepped outside his room with the Staff of Magnus in one and _Grim_ in the other. Kusano stayed right by his side all while being still very scared. The two of them made a few rounds of the building and when nothing came about from their search. Malist gave Kusano a Petty Soul Gem and told her it would keep any ghost away and to return to bed. The young Sekirei took the Soul Gem and smiled at her Ashikabi for doing what he could to alleviate her fears before going back to her and Miya's room. Malist watched as she returned to her room before turning back to the upper floor but stopped at the fake wall to the right of the top of the stairs. " _So… I'm going to guess your next huh_." Malist thought to himself before returning to his room for the night.


	5. Chapter 5

Malist was sitting down for breakfast with the rest of the residences of the Izumo Inn. Minus one, but Malist had an idea that he would be finally meeting the one that was hiding from the rest of them. He had known about her since moving in but assumed there was a perfectly good reason for her being her seclusion. One at least good enough for Miya who despite Malist grumbling was in fact a good landlady. Though it had been a few days since that incident where Kusano had seen the girl and thought she was a ghost, Malist could feel something was about to happen with her.

Next to Malist on his right was Musubi who was just as cheerful and hungry as normal. Next to her was a slightly mad Akitsu who would very much rather be sitting next to her Ashikabi. But for their cover story was sitting next to Musubi. Thankfully when they had first introduced Akitsu no one seemed to interested into going down the rabbit hole that was her cover.

The last few days Malist had been… trying to understand and handle the situation with Akitsu. He was entirely unprepared for the idea of another Sekirei joining him, he had some warning when it came to Kusano but none with Ice Sekirei. He had done his best to try and help Akitsu get settled in their home and was pleasantly surprised to find her fairly easy to the transition. But this had disappeared once it became clear as to why this was, Akitsu lacked very much in independent motivation and desire. Malist had found the mental scars done to her by MBI ran even deeper than he first thought. Which added another month of torture to the damned scientists at the company. So Malist had been trying to help Akitsu come out of her shell by encouraging her to learn and read, to expand her mind beyond what she already knew. Part of that was that he was teaching her the various languages of Nirn, an activity she found greatly enjoyable as it was something she was able to share with her Ashikabi. It was a good experience for the two of them as it allowed for some interaction between the two that wasn't hampered by either of their own inner turmoil and scars.

Then back with breakfast, to Malist's left was Kusano also very happy in that she was chatting with her friend Shiina who had been coming over every morning to see Kusano since that first night. Malist already confirmed that he was not reacting to him and thus alleviated that worry and so the young Dovahkiin didn't care if the death Sekirei showed up around his Sekirei.

Uzume and Kagari were also in attendance. Malist was actually enjoying the peace and strange feeling of content that was shared by the table. However this was soon broken by loud groan and the sound of the front door being opened. The group at the table looked to the door leading to the hall and soon it opened to show Hikari and Hibiki carrying a moaning Erik.

"You! Erik says you can fix him. Please hurry up so he can quit complaining." Hikari said as she and her sister dumped Erik in front of the boarding house residences.

"Boss… it hurts… it hurts so bad." Erik said as he held onto his stomach. "I need it bad boss. Please give it to me."

"Uh… first off… never say those words to me again." Malist said as he found that they could be taken all the wrong ways. "Second, no. I only have five left and I can't waste one just because you have a tummy ache."

"BUT BOSS! It hurts." Erik whined as he rolled over on his back. "Please give me something!"

"Exactly what did he do?" Malist asked turning to Erik's Sekirei.

"Gas station sushi. He got it on his way home from last night's pub crawl and it was only this morning that it hit him. Can you please just give him what he wants."

"I'm not giving him a Cure Potion…" At the mention of that one of the Sekirei perked up. "But outside there's a few plants that will ease the pain. Pick a handful of the purple and yellow flowers with a heart shape and smell like honey. And a handful of the green and black ones but only the ones with a red tip at their leaves, the ones without will just make it worse. Chop them up in a blender and force feed it to him… you're going to need to as it won't taste pleasant." He instructed and the Lightning Sekirei nodded before picking up their moaning Ashikabi. "Sorry about that." Malist said before returning to his meal, not that he enjoyed it much.

"What exactly did he want from you. You said he wanted a Cure Potion, it can't be what I think it is right?" Kagari asked not believing what was implied.

"He wanted a what? I didn't hear what you said… could you repeat that?" Malist said as he gave a tone of warning of things that are better left unsaid. It wasn't nearly as effective as Miya's friendly vailed threats but it got the job done.

"I see, well then I guess I didn't say anything." Kagari smiled as he decided to play along, understanding that people had their secrets. But sitting next to him was someone that heard exactly what Malist said and the implications of it were far too great for her to ignore.

"I think I'm done for the day, I'm going to go get ready for work." Malist said as he stood up and walked out of the room. Malist's Sekirei felt joining him in the bath but one look at Miya deterred them to do otherwise. But while they were being stared down to sit no one notice Uzume leave the room following Malist.

"Give me that cure you were talking about." Uzume demanded as she caught Malist before he in from the hall to the changing room. Malist looked back with a slightly warning look.

"I don't know…" He stopped at the sharpened blade of cloth to his neck. "… that is some speed you have. And… I'm going go with interesting power you have." He commented as he looked down and then back to the look of sheer determination on Uzume's face. "I'm assuming your Ashikabi is sick with no chance of treatment if your being like this…" He said as he reached into his Inventory. The sight of him using the spell shocked Uzume and provided a brief window of opportunity for Malist. " **Tiid…** " Time slowed as Malist spoke. " **...Klo… Ul**." Malist moved around the blade of cloth Uzume held to him and pulled the needed flask out of his Inventory. Before the Shout ran out of power he stepped back a few steps and placed a Frost rune between them.

"W-what… what did you just do…" Uzume questioned as time regained its normal speed. To her perspective everything around her felt so heavy and Malist was like a blur in her eyes. And now he was standing a bit away and the ground between them was glowing white.

"Better not come any closer, I just set a magical landmine between us. Now… this is what you want right?" He said holding out the flask of red liquid between his fingers. "A Cure Potion. And yes… it can cure anything. It's the reason why my homeland has not suffered something like the Black Plague."

"Are you going to give it to me or just taught me with it?" Uzume growled as he held her Ashikabi's one chance and her only way from getting out of from under Higa's thumb.

"I'm going to give it to you. You are something of a friend after all. You've been nice and helpful since me and Musubi moved here. But… and remember there will always be a but… giving you this is a deal between us."

"And what is my side of the deal?" Uzume said calming down a bit. It couldn't be worse than doing Higa's dirty work and she knew Malist wouldn't demand anything creepy.

"When I start beating the drums of war… I expect you to answer them." He said gravely, with the most serious of faces Uzume had ever seen on him.

"You mean against the other Ashikabi… sure… until we're the only…"

"No." He said flatly and with final word on the matter. "I am talking about when I look to burn MBI to the ground. I will dismantle the Sekirei plan and create a future were all Sekirei and their true Ashikabi live in peace. That is my plan."

"You can't be serious… taking on MBI is crazy."

"I could do it right now if I wanted." Malist said holding a ball of fire in his hand and then began alternating with lightning and ice. "I was once the Arch-Mage of my homeland. I could burn, fry, and freeze this entire city and then raise an army of elemental constructs to march on MBI. The only reason why I don't is because I want to make sure that all the Sekirei find their Ashikabi first. Then I will gather them and we will march together. As one." He finished his little speech before dispelling the magic in his hand then the Frost Rune. Malist then held out the Cure Potion. "So when I'm saying I'm going to be beating the drums of war… it will be a true and just war of freedom from cruel fate of mutual destruction."

"You really are going to do it aren't you… for all of us." Uzume said as tears rolled down her eyes at the idea of every one of the Sekirei finding what they longed for and never having to lose it.

"That is what a hero would." Malist said as he set the potion on the floor. "I hope she can get better." Malist said before walking into the bath changing room, closing the door behind him. The young Dovahkiin let his breath out and slid down to the ground with his back to the door. " _By Nocturnal… I was so cool!_ " Malist internally geeked out over his actions for the past five minutes. " _I was all like… I was so cool. I just came up with that drums of war thing on the spot. That was good… I need to remember that one._ " Malist excitedly thought before sighing. "Oh… okay… **Laas.** " Malist looked back and saw that Uzume had left, likely to deliver the Cure Potion to her Ashikabi. "I hope that she gets there safely… I only have so many of those."

-o0o-

Matsu replayed the video feed of the confrontation between Malist and Uzume. The power he had used slowed time itself. And he had pulled a flask of something that could cure anything out from nowhere. Then he held fire, lightning, and ice in his hand like it was nothing. All of this intrigued Matsu to no end. How and where did a human learn to do these things. Even Sekirei were limited in the scope of powers they could use. But this man continued to pull new powers out left and right.

And then his speech. His declaration that he would destroy MBI and create a future for all Sekirei and their Ashikabi. The word True before Ashikabi suggested that he didn't consider all current Ashikabi to be real ones, that made sense to a degree. Not all of the Sekirei currently winged were with people they found naturally. But what he was saying would be to imply he would be changing that. Matsu didn't know what think about that. So the issue was tabled for now.

Matsu was more focused on the fact he was willing and seemingly capable of destroying MBI and ending the Sekirei plan. A prospect she was certainly in favor of. But the idea that some nineteen-year-old nobody that failed the college entrance exam twice could do such a thing. Matsu did have to give that he was more than the official and even unofficial data on him suggested.

"Everything… just everything about him is a mystery to me. A mystery that it seems that I can't solve from the safety of my room." Matsu said to herself as her screens lit up with various video she had of her target. "Malistantius Caeraso, a mystery that must be solved… but how…" She mused but then her eyes moved over to a video she had taken of him and his Sekirei having a quiet dinner together. Just the four of them… alone. "It makes me so mad when they're like that… all cute and rubbing it my face that… oh… could this mean…" Matsu began putting together the various behaviors she displayed when thinking or looking at Malist. "It seems that the mystery of Malistantius has now included the mystery of the bond between Sekirei and Ashikabi as well… a mystery I can solve with my own body." She said before starting to leave to go to the bath to ambush her target… only to glace at the internal temperature of the room and stop dead in her tracks. "How can he keep doing that and survive? Oh well it's not like he can hide from me forever."

-o0o-

"What are you so smug about?" Erik complained as he put down a another few boards of wood. Things had been a decently good day for the Nord, but Malist's smug grin on his face had started to tempt that statement.

"Oh nothing… just was pretty badass this morning. After you had whined like a weak little milk drinker I was able to save the life of a sick dying Ashikabi and secure the alliance of another Ashikabi and Sekirei pair." Malist said with his eyes closed as he leaned on his shovel.

"Quit talking with your eyes closed you smug ass Imperial." Erik continued to complain before _accidently_ knocking the shovel Malist was leaning on with a piece of lumber. Causing Malist to fall face first into the dirt. "Oops… sorry." Erik really didn't mean it.

"Okay fine I get it…" Malist grumbled before as he stood up and began dusting himself off. The sound of the lunch bell taking their minds off the event. "Your Sekirei bringing you food again?"

"Yup, Talos bless them and their food." Erik said as manly food based tears rolled down his face. "What about you, you normally bring your lunch. Does that mean you're having…" Erik stopped talking at the dangerous look on Malist face as they both heard something that Erik knew to be the prelude to many… many deaths. The sounds of construction workers cat calling Malist's Sekirei. They both turned to the Akitsu approaching them with Malist lunch ready, she had offered this morning to do so and Malist had initially asked her not to given he knew this exact thing would happen. The idea and reality of this situation simply pissed him off, it pissed Erik off too. They both held the Nordic idea of _I'm the only one allowed to make a complete ass of myself over how hot my woman is_. On Akitsu's side of the issue, she barely even noticed that there even other men around her. She could tell that _people_ were around but the fact that they were male and hooting and making suggestive comments… might as well be wind to her ears. Only one man's opinion on her appearance will ever matter to her. And all those noises she was hearing were meaningless to her.

"Thank you Akitsu, I'm sure that I will enjoy it." Malist said as he took the boxed lunch she had made for him. He was very happy that she took the effort to make anything for him, even more so since he knew that she knew what he liked. He opened the small box and found a very simple prepared sandwich with a side of diced fruit and cheese. Even though it was all very simple, it was still prepared well and looked good.

"Hm" Akitsu wasn't the best when it came to public speaking. And Malist had no issue with that, she was quiet and rarely showed much emotion. But the bond between Ashikabi and Sekirei was deep and to Malist it was easy to tell she appreciated his words. Akitsu then followed her Ashikabi's hard glare and found that he was looking at his fellow work men. Who were also glaring at her love rather harshly. Enough to make her eyes ever so slightly narrow in what looked to be insignificant irritation.

"It's fine Akitsu, they are just jealous. They don't like the fact someone as… young as me has a woman as beautiful as you coming to drop off lunch for me." There was the barest hint of a blush on the Ice Sekirei at the complement but then it disappeared as the rest of her Ashikabi's statement came to form in her mind. She then shot a ice cold glare to the rest of the men that froze their very souls.

" _How dare they insinuate that he is not worthy of me. it is me that counts my blessing to be with my Ashikabi when that had been but a dream for me not long ago_." Both Ashikabi couldn't hear her thoughts but could feel the air growing colder and thus knew that the situation was getting dangerous. All it took to calm the irritated Sekirei was for Malist to hold her hand for a moment to give a wordless message of confidence and value.

"There is nothing to prove to anyone. Thank you Akitsu." He said with a real smile and with his hand on hers it was enough to make her once again forget that those men even existed. She gave a slight nod and then began to walk back home.

"Damn… she was really close to freezing their balls off." Erik said as he ignored the glares his friend was getting. "You think that ya should stay at this job… you kinda just painted your name on everyone's shit list."

"I meant what I said…" Malist said before ripping off a bite of his hearty sandwich. "… they are just jealous."

"Yeah… jealous that you get to touch what they can only stare at." Erik joked before looking down and seeing… that face… on Malist made Erik's day. And probably ruined Malist's given the amount of teasing he was about to get. "You haven't… have you?"

"There is no illicit activity allowed where I'm living. You haven't seen Miya's demon mask trick. It's like that feeling Ulfric could give you… were you could swear there was a huge bear behind him staring you down." Erik nodded in remembering that look Ulfric gave to anyone that particularly annoyed him. Malistantius had been on the receiving end of that look quite a few times. The two of them were still brothers made in the fires of war… but that didn't mean that the older brother in that relationship didn't get any headaches from the thieving, meddling, and all around partier that was the younger brother. But just because Malist's landlady had a similar terror inducing ability didn't mean Erik was going to let Malist off easy.

"Motels… there are even motels for just this purpose. I recommend one that has waterbeds. I saw on TV once that those are the best to fuck on." Erik ginned at the uncomfortable sigh Malist gave at this comment.

"It's not that I don't find Akitsu and Musubi sexy and attractive. It's just… I don't know… something is keeping me from taking that next step… or at least looking into taking that step. Something is hovering over me every time I start thinking about them that way. Sometimes Musubi will do something that makes me forget about whatever it is that is keeping me from thinking about them in a sexual way. But if it's just me and I'm thinking about moving forward in this weird Sekirei marriage toward a more physical manner. Nope… something hits me over the head with guilt, sadness, and lots of pain in my gut." Erik had stopped any thought of teasing Malist for this. He knew exactly what… or more accurately who was causing this. The memory of someone, someone that Malist only remembered in bits and pieces. It was one of the few things Erik, Serana, and Aela all agreed was best that he just not remember in whole. But now it was looking like those repressed memories are now acting on him in a way that was interfering with the bond between Ashikabi and Sekirei.

" _I'm going to need to talk with Serana on this… no… wait… I can't. The Sekirei plan is secret and if I… but this is really important… Hmm…_ " Erik thought to himself before refocusing on Malist. "Don't worry boss… I'm sure that you'll be fine in no time." He chuckled with zero confidence in his words. Something that Malist instantly picked up on thought knew it was better to let Erik have his simple secrets.

-o0o-

Malist was walking home from work still a little confused and irritated by Erik's sudden aloofness concerning his stagnant relationship with his Sekirei. It was a issue that currently he didn't have much of an active problem given that Musubi was naïve to the idea of more physical relationship. She knew about it and given that she was in love with Malist would be in favor with such a thing, she didn't pursue it for some reason. Malist held the theory that is was because Musubi like Kusano wasn't entirely grown up in Sekirei terms. Clearly Musubi was closer to maturity than Kusano but was likely in the very later stages of development. How long would this last Malist didn't know.

Akitsu being his other Sekirei who he might have a more physical relationship was too insular to outright pursue such a relationship. She did make various moves toward it in her own subtle ways, she always clung to him when she had the chance, she spent more time with him than anyone else, and every night when they would start moving toward their rooms there was a look of clear longing in her eyes to want to follow Malist to his room. A look that held a lot more… carnal feelings than simply the want to be close like Musubi had.

What Malist said to Erik was true, it wasn't at all that he didn't find his Sekirei desirable. Quite the opposite. Musubi was one of the cutest and attractive women Malist had ever seen. Akitsu held a beauty and grace that was a unmatched. Though he couldn't really find himself being able to number his Sekirei in terms of a top and bottom standing. He did know if he ever did do something like that he would have to place Nocturnal at the top given his commitment to the Daedric Lord of the Night, Shadow, and Luck. Such was his bonds as a Nightingale. But to him his Sekirei would always outshine any competing women for his attention. He didn't know if the bond between Sekirei and Ashikabi caused this or amplified it, he would go with what Serana had told him and believe it was the latter rather than the questionable former.

But even though he did in fact find Musubi and Akitsu very attractive… he couldn't bring himself to think of moving forward with them. Something was pulling him back and away from that path. It was something from his previous life as he couldn't think of one thing in his new life that would cause this. It wasn't any kind of curse or something Magicka related. And he knew it wasn't because he was a human from Nirn and not Earth, Erik and his Sekirei were having no issue in this area. So he knew it had to be something in his past that he couldn't remember that was causing this. And Erik knew what it was, but Erik wouldn't tell him. No if Erik was ever going to then he or Serana or Aela would have already told him.

"Maybe I should…"

"Malist!" Said young Dovahkiin turned his head once he heard his name being called but found that his face was soon enveloped by a woman's large chest. "How about that for a reward." Uzume joked before letting Malist go.

"Uzume… why did you do that?" Malist grumbled as he tried to lessen the blush that had formed across his face. Only for it to redden even further at another girl kissing him on the cheek. "Uhh…"

"Thank you so much." The new girl who Malist was assuming to be Uzume's Ashikabi said as she returned to Uzume's side. "Uzume told me how you're the one that gave me my cure. She didn't tell me exactly how you found it though." She said with a slight look toward her Sekirei. "But that doesn't matter, I'm feeling better than I felt even before I was admitted to the hospital."

"Gees Chiho… laying it a bit think aren't you."

"Oh and smashing me into your chest was the better of your two thanks?" Malist deadpanned at Uzume's comment. "I mean your…" Malist stopped as he heard something. Where Uzume had snuck up to him due to her being in all respects… a normal girl. And thus didn't set off any warning bells in Malist mind as she approached him, plus he was a little distracted. But now Malist was hearing something that he really shouldn't be, the clinking of plate based armor. " **Laas Yah**." Malist whispered and then looked around. They had been surrounded, about fifteen men and all of them reeked of Daedric influence. "So… more have come."

"Malist… is something wrong." Uzume said as she stood guard in front of Chiho noticing the change in attitude of her friend. Malist didn't respond right away, instead he pulled out a neckless out from his Inventory.

"Chiho… wear this. It has a decent barrier enchantment on it and should protect you from most elemental attacks." He said as he handed over the small neckless over to the girl. "Uzume, you are going to need to watch for them moving in. They will have daggers and they will come for her once they realize she is the weaker target." Malist explained as his hand lit up, one with frosty ice and the other with sparking lightning.

"Who are they, Sekirei?" Uzume said as she pulled out a roll of his weaponized cloth.

"Nah… they have this stink around them." He sneered as the first of the men began making their way out of the shadows. They had chosen their location well, the Ashikabi and Sekirei were in a rarely used street with few used buildings actually on it. Mostly empty lots and parking structures. The ambushers were all wearing the same thing, long brown robes with bone scale armguards and gloves, and a strange looking bone mask.

"False Dovahkiin… you shall pay for your crimes." The lead ambusher called out raising his sword to Malist. "You have been deemed unworthy of bearing the same title as lord Miraak. He had begun his work in Nirn and this world will to soon bear witness to his glory. None shall stand to oppose him!" At that nine of the fifteen men charged in to begin their task of killing Malist and the witnesses. Malist didn't even blink as he chained lighting between the front most five. They stood still as the bolts of lightning coursed through their bodies, frying them from the inside. Those four that didn't get caught in the attack flanks around and tried to go for the two girls thinking they would be easy prey. Nope, they found that Uzume was more than capable of taking them down. The Veil Sekirei was able to entangle the right two and pull them into the incoming left two. The entangled four began trying their way to get back up but when they looked forward they saw a body of frozen ice looking down at them. The Frost Atronach wasted no time in smashing the ambushers.

"Fight again my brothers!" One of the mages called out and with that those that Malist and to a lesser extent Uzume had killed were enveloped in fell energies and once again rose to their feet.

"D-did… he just bring them back to life." Uzume said completely shocked at what she was seeing. Meanwhile Malist knew that if he didn't end things quickly, the Zombies would be the worst of their problems. The two Frost Atronachs he had just summoned could handle them but what concerned him was the five mages that were now lined up to start raining down Destruction Spells onto them. He could feel the smirk on the leader of this little ambush as he stood behind his wall of Magicka users

"Shit… okay then." Malist knew that right now with Chiho at risk he needed to get out. The longer they stayed in combat the more likely it became that she would get hurt. "She just got out of the hospital." Malist chuckled before turning toward the line of mages. " **FAAS RU MAAR**!" Malist shouted at the mages and has the power of the words hit them within seconds one of them punched another, and then another sent a fire ball into the face of another. "Come on!" Malist said as he summoned Arvak and pulled Chiho on to the undead horse with him. "Uzume think you can keep up?" He smirked as he readied his skeletal steed. It took a small moment for the Sekirei to compute, the enemy was in a fist fight with each other, Malist summoned a undead horse, and now her Ashikabi was holding on to his waist for dear life.

"Uh… yeah! The better question is who can get back to Izumo Inn first?" Uzume challenged before jumping off toward the direction of their shared boarding house home.

"Did you hear that Arvak… she challenged us. Hold on Chiho and blame your Sekirei for what is about to happen!" Malist called out as he sent his steed the signal to go full speed. Chiho would be later having a few words with Uzume but they would not be that harsh as riding Arvak had been quite fun in fact.

-o0o-

Serana finished tying down the leader of the ambushers to the chair she had set up. She had removed all of his clothing so he was now as stark naked as the day he was born. He was a Dunmer, his ash black skin and sharp features gave that away. Serana guessed that he must be in his late thirties, his hair was well kept and his body was in fine condition so she knew that he lived fairly well prior to coming to this world. The Vampire's glowing red eyes scanned the various tattoos. That covered his body, she recognized a few as Daedric in origin but that was normal for the Dunmer, seeing how they worshiped the few Daedra Lords that could be considered good. But the markings on this man were not focused on Azura, Boethiah, or Mephala. No, they more entirely focused on Hermaeus Mora. Daedric Lord of knowledge.

"What does that octopus want with this world?" Serana said to herself as she took a few smelling salts from her Inventory and held it up to the man's nose. The man reacted quickly and tried to move away from the foul smell.

"Gods! What… what… where I'm I? Who… oh no…" The Dunmer paled at the sight of red glowing eyes but without the skin of his own people. "Vampire." He mumbled in fear under his breath.

"Yes… but don't worry, you're not a meal today." Serana said as she sat down in the chair across from the Dunmer was tied down in. "Do you have a name?"

"Modyn Veleth… where I'm I? T-the last thing I remember… it was… it was a farm. And then… the Ash Spawn and then…" The man began but it was clear that he was very confused. Serana had expected him to begin rambling on about the glory of either Hermaeus Mora maybe Miraak like before. But this man seemed to be completely oblivious to everything that had happened.

"Calm down, where are you from?"

"Raven Rock… Solstheim. Where are we… can you just answer that vampire." The man growled as he felt a bit of his courage return to him.

"We are currently in Tokyo Japan." That caused a bit of dead air to form in the room. Exactly what Serana expected. Now she never expected people from Nirn to know everything and everywhere about their own world given that it lacked the internet or even a system of standardized education to teach people about the whole of the world. But the people of Tamriel had a general basic idea of regions and nations, Skyrim, Blackmarsh, Cyrodiil, High Rock, and several other were places that people just knew. They may not know the names of the cities or towns outside their own lands but they could recognize a name based on how it sounded. Tokyo and Japan were just not names found in Tamriel.

"Uh… I am not… could you repeat that?" He was truly and honestly confused.

"You heard me, now you have your answer. You should be a little more comforted by the knowledge of where you are." Serana said clearly playing with the fact he still in fact had no clue where he was. "Why did you attack my friend and those two girls?" The Dunmer's face turned from angry irritation to shock and fear.

"I did what? What are you talking about?"

"Are you just playing dumb? You led a party of fifteen men and attacked my friend and the two girls with him. With the full intention of killing them."

"Lies! I would never do something… wait… you're a Vampire. Perhaps I did do what you say, but I know that I would only do so if these so called friends of yours were just more bloodsuckers." He said finishing with a righteous grin.

"No, my friend was the Dovahkiin Malistantius and the two girls were innocent bystanders."

"Hpm… lies. Like someone like the hero of Skyrim would associate with vampire scum like you."

"True, he did help bring back the Dawnguard. So, it is right to assume that. But be that as it may the facts are what they are. You led a group of strangers to this land with the intention of killing the Dragon Born for the simple fact you believed that he was unworthy of sharing the title with Miraak…" At that the Dunmer's red eyes widened in recognition. "… in my opinion a silly reason. But you seem…"

"I… I know that name. Miraak, I remember it being important for some reason. But… I don't know why…" Serana watched as the man tried to remember. It was clear to her that something had been meddling with his mind, given the fact Hermaeus Mora was involved meant that theory wasn't that surprising. The question is why was it that he was no longer under the control. She looked back to the pile of robes and armor that he had been wearing. On a side note she was surprised that he hadn't reacted to being naked. She stood up and walked back over to the pile, she picked up the most likely of culprit, the mask. She walked back to the man and held the mask in front of him, he slightly winced at it being so close. "I remember that thing alright. A few times people wearing those masks came to Raven Rock and attacked the people."

"You were wearing it before I stripped you." Serana informed the Dunmer who upon hearing that looked down and finally realized that he was in fact naked.

"So you did… wait… I was wearing one of those? I was a part of that insane cult? I don't remember anything about that."

"You seemed to have glossed over the fact you are exposed to the world."

"I have little shame in my body. I have no need to feel self-conscious about it."

"Well good for you and the woman you love." Serana picked out causing the man to glare at her. "Or… man you love?"

"My personal life is none of your interest bloodsucker. Besides, my life will likely not last long so I have resigned myself to Oblivion anyways." He said hanging his head forward a bit, taking the time to remember a few memories of him and the woman he loved. What broke him out of his thoughts was the binds holding him to the chair being cut.

"You were not you when you attacked my friend. You were under the influence of a Daedric power. And you are a long way from home Dunmer, but so am I. And with Miraak, the First Dragon Born, suddenly appearing to have an interest in Malist I am going to need all the help I can get." She said as she handed him a change of clothes. Strange garments he had never seen before, put they were his size and fairly light compared to what he was used to.

"You're letting me free? Why?" She just gave him a _come and follow_ look before walking out of the room. He looked down at the clothes and soon changed into them. It was a simple white t0shirt and jeans. He soon followed the vampire out of the room and what he saw greatly confused him. The Dunmer was shocked by the avenge sized studio apartment Serana had, the modern décor something not found in Tamriel. But it was the sight outside that shocked him the most, the look of the modern city of Tokyo, skyscrapers, neon signs, roads and cars. "A long way from home indeed."

-o0o-

Malist was currently drinking a bottle of Mead out on the lawn of his boarding house home. Most of everyone already went to bed. There had been a small welcome party for Uzume's Ashikabi. Everyone was so happy that she had gotten well and was finally able to be with her Sekirei. The scene of Miya giving them the warning of no illicit activity was fun for Malist but it had just brought back the previous issue of what to do about his strange relationship with his own Sekirei. Hence… mead. He didn't want to think about his problems right now. And he had a lot of them.

The increasing evidence in Miya's words about how he relied on his Thu'um like a crutch. That he wasn't doing anything for himself and just relying on the powers and abilities he had as Malistantius. That he would never get out of the shadow of his former self like this.

Then the feeling of being held back by unknown guilt preventing him from moving forward with his Sekirei. Kusano was too young for this to be a issue so there was no problem with her. Musubi was a ticking time bomb, once she either grew up into Sekirei maturity or found out about sex from likely Uzume she would begin to pester Malist about it nonstop. Akitsu was thankfully reserved enough to not make a big deal about… at least on the surface it was like that. With her it was clear that she knew and wanted a more physical relationship, she just wasn't a vocal person by nature. It actually made Malist feel a little bad for lack of commitment in all of this.

And now he had this whole mess with people from Nirn coming to try and kill him. People trying to kill him wasn't new to Malistantius but this was a real first for Malist. The Spriggans had been one thing, they were defending Kusano and their home, but these men were looking for Malist specially. They were under orders from Miraak, a name Malist only barely recognized as the first Dragon Born. He wasn't in the Dragon Born book much, just a small section on him as the first of them. But the idea that he sent these people raised so many questions. How was Miraak still alive after all this time and after being supposedly killed by the Dragons that he once worked for before betraying them. Why did Miraak have a problem with Malistantius, the idea that the Last Dragon Born wasn't worthy of the tile was stupid, he killed Alduin for Talos' sake. How did these cultists get to Earth, Malist knew that travel between the world had to be possible now, while it was still possible that it was still one way as cults tend to treat their members with a bit of a disposable mindset. They could have been sent with no idea how to return. But they had claimed that Miraak was soon coming for Earth. That suggested they did in fact have a means of travel between both world that went both ways.

But what they had said before that piece of information was worrying the most. That Miraak had already begun his actions on the world of Nirn. It had been a whole year and a half since Malist and his friends had been sent to Earth. What happened in that time back in Nirn they had no idea. The Spriggans weren't any help in this matter as they cared little for outside world of Men and Mer. They had said he had begun his actions, but that could mean a lot of things. It could mean that he had just returned and was now building his base. Or it could mean he had just begun his campaign against the world of Nirn.

Malist simply didn't have enough information. He had gone back to the place of ambush after dropping off Chiho but found the dead bodies had already been burned. He suspected it to have been done by Serana given her habit of stalking him. But it could have also have been done by MBI given the level of surveillance they had in the city. Malist knew they had some idea of Nirn but he found the idea of them burning and covering it all up to be unlikely. They would take everything and use it for study.

"Ah… I wonder what… so many friends to name… can't really pick one." Malist chuckled as the booze worked his brain. He wasn't really thinking about these problems right now. But instead his mind had focused on a fairly sad topic still. Much to his irritation. "I hope Ulfric is wearing that cool crown by now. Man… that thing was cool… I should have stolen it when I had a chance." Malist laughed a bit before bringing the bottle of mead to his lips and taking a drink. "Wonder if Delphine finally got over the fact I didn't kill Paarthurnax… and then lying about it… and then tricking all the Blades into thinking I did kill him… huh… but I rebuilt the Blades! Even if they don't talk to me anymore…" Malist sighed as he stopped talking and just stared up to the night sky. Just enjoying the stars for a few minutes.

"Malist… I thought we discussed that I have no drinking policy." Malist turned his head to see Miya looking down at him with her aura of terror already in effect. He just turned around and huddled around his bottle of mead.

"I'm sad… I have so many problems and I need to just forget them." Malist grumbled though given his drunkenness he didn't sound very convincing. Miya meanwhile wasn't having that excuse and soon began dragging Malist inside. "Zu'u fin Dovahkiin… faas dii Suleyk!" Malist drunkenly called out, Miya not understanding the language of the Dragons ignored the rants.

-o0o-

"So… this Earth… it is a completely different world than Tamriel?" Modyn Veleth asked as he stared at the glass of Bourbon. He had taken a small drink of it, it certainly wasn't wine, nor was it Nord mead. It burned a bit going down but he was already feeling the effects of the alcoholic beverage. "Where people have no use of Magicka and instead use science and cold machines. My people are nothing more than fantasy to the humans that dominate the world. And the Daedra and Gods are nothing more than tales told to the masses." He finished the basics of what Serana had told him before grabbing the glass in front of him and downing the whole thing. "By Azura that is a shitstorm I did not ever expect in my life.

"There are some good things about this world I have found." Serana said as she took her glass and walked over to the old record player she had in her apartment. She like many found the old sound of it more… real than electronic speakers. She traced a finger along the many records she had collected over the time since coming here. She finally stopped and placed the vinyl on the record player. Modyn wasn't sure what she was doing but as the music began to fill the room he understood what that device was. He didn't recognize the style and assumed it was something from this world.

"Interesting sound, what is it called?" He said as he leaned back and let the music and booze relax his worries.

"Jazz, this world has a great many of different kinds of music but this I have found be my favorite. The song is _Whisper Not_ and was composed by a man called Benny Golson. It is one of my personal favorites." She said as she let the record continue as she returned to the sitting area Modyn was sitting at. She sat down back on the couch facing the Dunmer and poured him another glass from the bottle on the table between them

"Not that I don't enjoy the music, but… I still have the issue of being stuck in a world I know very little about." He said as he looked down into the newly refilled glass of Bourbon. " _And there's the fact I am sharing drinks with a Vampire_."

"I and my friends experienced the same thing. The Daedra Lord Sheogorath sent us here a little over a year and a half ago without warning." The Dunmer scowled at the mention of that Daedra.

"One of the trouble makers… I have no problem seeing him doing something so irksome." Modyn growled before taking a sip from his glass. "The four of House of Troubles are nothing but their name… trouble. But… I do not recall meeting any of them so how could I be here?"

"All we have is two names… Miraak and Hermaeus Mora."

"What, what does he have to do with this?"

"Those tattoos all over your body. They are not dedicated to any of the Daedra the Dunmer favor." She said tipping her glass to his body. His eyes widened at that and he quickly looked down. He then stood up and walked over to a nearby mirror and took off his shirt.

"How dare they! What happened after that battle at the farm, what… what has my body been a part of while my mind was not my own?!" He raged as he stared at the various tattoos that crossed his body. "How long… how long have I not been myself? Doesn't matter… too long to be sure… I wonder if Dreyla is still alive…"

"It is best not to dwell on thought of what might be." Serana said still sitting back in her couch. "Doing so will only keep you from moving forward and possibly finding the answers to those very questions you're asking yourself." Modyn took a breath, he didn't know if it was the booze or some vampire magic but her words made sense.

"You're… you're right. I cannot lose myself to grief until I know for sure of things. Is… there any possible way of getting back to Nirn?" He said as he put his shirt back on.

"Originally I thought no… but you are not the first to come after us." She said as she watched him return to his chair. "Before you there was a colony of Spriggans. I think they might have be the test subjects for whatever means have been used to transport people from Nirn to Earth. Myself and the other three who came a year ago more than likely weren't apart of the plan Miraak and Hermaeus Mora had. Likely Sheogorath was just being his mad self and sent us here because it might be funny. Or some other such nonsense. Or maybe Sheogorath sent us here to disrupt Miraak and Hermaeus Mora's plans… Malistantius did say he had met the mad Daedra once and said the two had reached some sort of… friendship might be pushing it but Sheogorath has little reason to be against Malistantius."

"This is the Daedra Lord of madness we are speaking of. What goes on in his mind is not meant for any sane being." Modyn grunted in annoyance.

"Very true. We likely will never know the reason. But we know that Miraak and Hermaeus Mora have plans for Earth, and that means that they need some kind of two way connection. Or what reason would they have for even bothering with Earth in the first place."

"I see your point. So the possibility does exist… and we know that other Daedra are capable of sending people here… so maybe…"

"I highly doubt any of the ones your thinking of will come to our rescue. The ones that might possible come to our rescue would be Nocturnal at the top of the list. Malistantius is a pretty faithful follower of hers, and was one of her top agents as a Nightingale. And… well… I certain that she had a plan to turn him into her royal consort in Evergloom when he died."

"Really… that… I'm not sure what to think about that."

"I only ever was allowed in her temple that the Nightingales guard once. And during that time… it seemed to me that she favored him greatly she bragged about how she had the Last Dragon Born as her own." Serana shivered as she thought back to that meeting, very few things scared her… Nocturnal became one of them that day. " _The way she looked at me… Malistantius never understood just how possessive Nocturnal was toward him_."

"And… you said there are others that might come for us?"

"Yes, Malistantius had several interactions with the Daedric Lords. Nocturnal being the most constant. Sanguine might also be possibility… if nothing for he might miss his favored drinking partner." Serana said as she stared into her glass of booze somehow expecting the Daedra Lord of Debauchery to suddenly appear in the liquid. "Then there is Malacath."

"What?! Him… you expect him to come to our rescue?" Modyn demanded as he never expected that idea to come about.

"Malistantius and Malacath are apparently good friends. There was this tribe of Orcs and Malistantius did what he does and meddled in their affairs. It ended with their chief dead and a whole tribe of Giants slaughtered. But in the end Malistantius had some how saved the tribe from… poor leadership I guess… and earned the favor of the Daedric Lord. Malistantius spoke a few more times with the Daedra concerning a few things and so they are generally on good terms. I know you might have issues with that so maybe the idea of Boethiah coming to save us would be more appealing?"

"And what kind of history does the Dragon Born have with Boethiah?"

"He killed the last champion of Boethiah. The Daedra gave him the Ebony Mail. But they haven't had much interaction beyond that. And all of these we are talking about very long shots. These are Daedra we are speaking of. I truly think that Nocturnal will actively try to reclaim Malist given how attached she is to him… disturbingly so… to the point I'm now a little afraid of what she might do to him when she finally does show up."

"But you think she will come for him? And when she does… she might take us back to Nirn? Don't you think it will be more likely that she will simply take the Dragon Born and leave us here." Modyn said not finding this idea to be very good.

"There… holds the possibility that Malist might be able… take charge in a sense with Nocturnal. I say this because… the relationship between them was something only he could ever pull off. It was something only thee Dragon Born of Skyrim could ever in a million ages do. He somehow… I have very little idea of just how he did it... but from what I gathered is that he somehow caused the Daedra Lord of Night and Shadow to fall in love with him."

"That… that makes no sense at all." Modyn groaned as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "How does one make a Daedra… a god of Oblivion fall in love with a mortal. I get that he is Dragon Born and so he is inherently going to be a person of great renown and destiny… but to do something like that… that pushes things a bit far."

"Listen… I wouldn't ever believe it if I didn't see the way Nocturnal acted around him. Now it wasn't like she was some love stuck girl with zero control over herself. Not at all, but the way she would let him get away with things was very telling. The best example was when he became a Werewolf and thus under the domain of Hircine. She hated that, demanded that he be cured by any means possible. But Malistantius refused, stating that being _Part of the Pack_ had become important to him. This caused a rift to form between him and the other Nightingales but for Nocturnal… well… she is a Daedra so you would normally expect them to kill such a defiant follower on the spot. She didn't. She let him go, she took away her blessing and casted him out of the Nightingales but she let him live."

"That is unusual behavior for a Daedra like her. But I'm assuming that Malistantius eventually returned to her given he presently a follower of her."

"Oh yes, you see Malistantius became a Werewolf not because he was a follower of Hircine and in fact didn't know about that part of the deal when he took it. He did it because he had joined the Whiterun Companions and had grown very close with them. So her joined their inner Circle, which included becoming a Werewolf. The story with the Companions is a long one and we would get off track, in the end he and the rest of the Circle minus one decided that it wasn't worth being Werewolves. The Companions because they would be barred from Sovngarde and Malistantius found that Hircine was a very absent Daedra when compared to Nocturnal. He never realized it but that was because of the interest she had in him. Which at the time was likely because he was the Dragon Born. So after curing himself and the rest of the Circle, minus one again, he knew that he needed to do something for Nocturnal in order to get back in her good graces… so… he stole something."

"I have to guess it was something of great value to get back on the good side of a spurned Daedra."

"Oh yes, so he stole something that… well… you're not going to like this… he stole the Ring of Azura."

"What?!" Modyn shouted as he rose to his feet. "But… but that is impossible! The Ring of Azura is still in the… it's a fake isn't it?" To his surprise Serana shook her head. "But then… how?"

"Nocturnal returned her sister's ring. But she found the whole thing to be amusing enough to accept Malistantius back into the Nightingales. The two other Nightingales weren't all that pleased at the clear favoritism but seeing as the two were some of Malistantius' oldest friends they eventually returned to how thing were."

"So… you see this as evidence of… oh shit it is hard for me to even say it out loud."

"That was just an example of how Malistantius was able to get away with far more than anyone else would have with Nocturnal. That with the way she fawned over her favorite toy and how Malistantius was the only one able to talk back and hold a argument and win… yeah… any other idea just does add up to the facts."

"And once Nocturnal comes for her favored follower… what? I still am worried that she will simply leave the rest of us here with no way home as she takes the Dagon Born."

"No… well… there is a situation surrounding Malistantius that makes this plan shaky. But if it works… then Malist could ask Nocturnal to take us with them… and she'll agree. I've seen him enter her temple with the intention of asking for far more and come out smiling and with what he wanted."

"I had heard of the Hero of Skyrim's sliver tongue… but to think he could charm a Daedra Lord into… it just doesn't seem possible."

"Would rather have Malacath come and save us?" Serana said after grimacing at the thought of what Nocturnal probably wants out of Malistantius' tongue.

"Don't even joke about that. To be saved by one of the corners of the House of Troubles… ugh… feels dirty just thinking about it." The Dunmer grumbled before finishing off his drink.

* * *

Author's Notes

So... this story has not gotten the attention I expected. Oh well, I never expected this to get much but whatever. Never did this stories for that reason anyways. Please review and tell me what you think.

Reviews

Blazingpheonix123 - thank you and it was just Akitsu, Shiina is not Malist's Sekirei. I honestly don't know what I am going to do with him. Maybe stick to canon though not sure how. And... I don't think so, I could but none have caught my eye like Akitsu.

Guest - yeah... when you mentioned it I looked back and... yeah I kinda did make Malist a dick in that way. So yes, you are right in that he made a poor choice in just ignoring her so soon.


	6. Chapter 6

Matsu couldn't take it anymore. It had been four days since figuring out that Malist was her Ashikabi and he had not given her one opportunity to ambush him. She wanted to sneak up on him, preferably naked, and freak him out before kissing him. But nope, in the last four days she had no chance. Her first plan of ambushing him in the bath was out given the insane temperatures he kept the room during said baths. Then there was ambushing him in his room. But he had taken to recently barring his door close to anyone. Why he was doing this Matsu had no clue. She thought about doing something outside of Izumo Inn but… she was still hiding from MBI. She did have this great idea for a disguise but she really wanted to surprise Malist with her birthday suit.

But that was her thinking yesterday. Last night her Sekirei symbol had begun to burn so hot and send waves of longing and need that she just could no long take any more. She needed to be with her Ashikabi, more than anything she just needed some type of release. And to her preference more than one meaning of that statement. So the Sekirei had to do something that she felt went against everything she stood for… she went with the direct approach. Five since understanding that Malist was her destined Ashikabi… she knocked on his door and wait for him to open it. The small sounds of chains and levers opening only made her more excited. He was just as paranoid as she could be. The door opened a tiny bit and then fully opened with Malist looking at her with a slightly blank face with only there barest hint of a smug smile tugging at his lips.

"I win." He said as the smile fully formed. "You came to me." He said as he walked back into his room and sat down in one of his rustic chairs. Matsu took a small bit of time to take a glance around his room as she entered. She had only seen it from a top down perspective and honestly it was a stark contrast to her screen covered room. It was something out of the European middle ages. And as afar she could tell… the furs were completely real and way too big for normal bears and wolves… and… a few beasts she didn't recognize.

"You knew I was here? For how long?"

" **Laas**." There was a small wave of pressure that extended from his whisper. "Miya is currently in the kitchen. Akitsu is in her room reading. Musubi, Chiho and Uzume are taking a bath together. Kusano is down in the garden." Malist said after a brief look around. "Not only that…" He said before pointing in the direction of the house to the right of the boarding home. "The husband of your right neighbor house is on the can and his wife is taking a nap while their son is huddled in his room." He then pointed to the left side of the boarding home. "Those two are in the bed room and given their placement… you know." Matsu was completely shocked, she knew that the positions of the residence of Izumo Inn were right as that had been where they were when she check before coming here, but to know the neighbors… that was unexpected. "With a word I can…"

"PLEASE TELL ME HOW YOU DID THAT!" Matsu cried as she rushed over and threw herself on to Malist. "There are so many mysteries surrounding you I just have to know how you do it." She said as she pressed up against him. Everything about him just drove her wild on the inside, the mystery, his rugged good looks, the way he matched her paranoia to a tee and everything in between.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He said looking off to the side slyly. Clearly knowing exactly who, what, and why this woman on top of him was and doing. While Malist at first didn't know that she was a Sekirei, Aura Whisper is limited in telling what kind of people the life signatures are. The various colors that represent those signatures vary but Men, Mer, and beastfolk all had the same red color and Sekirei followed this trend as well. All he knew was there was a person hiding and they were at least a sapient humanoid. Only after checking in on her after turning ethereal did he get more information. And she didn't really hide her Sekirei mark. So with all that information and how she was acting toward him it wasn't that hard to put the pieces together.

"But that is part of the mystery… the unbelievable powers and feats you bring. It has to be true. And you're not crazy, I know because you have way to much going for you. Like plot armor… you have way too much of that to be crazy." Malist narrowed his eyes a that. He didn't like it when people imposed that he was distended to great things because… well because. He knew he WAS distended to do great things but he would do them because of hard work and skill… an ideal he actually believed or just told himself was a matter of debate "So tell me everything."

"Get off first… Miya might come by and misunderstand." He pointed out. Though he mostly just wanted her off before his body really began to react to her presence on top of him. She pouted for a moment and soon stepped off and sat down in the nearby chair. "I am a wizard… FEAR ME!" He called out in mock dramatic effect. Matsu just giggled and began listening as he explained everything from his time in Skyrim, to Magicka, to being the Dovahkiin, and then the Daedra and Divines which led to him on how he got here.

"So… you can kill massive fire breathing dragon… just by shouting at it?" Matsu asked as she imagined Malist berating a dragon into the ground.

"You are smart enough to know that isn't what I meant. But yes… I can kill people with just a few words of power." He said before picking up his third bottle of mead that he had brought out during the explaining. He had being drinking them a decent pace but not fast enough to get him drunk. Just buzz enough to spill everything to Matsu. "But besides that… your taking this fairly well."

"It makes sense in certain ways. Would explain why you didn't even exist anywhere in the system before a year ago. I trust me… I looked everywhere." She said before taking a small look at the bottle in Malist hand. She had seen him get drunk a few times, mostly outside at night. She knew that the drink wasn't local sake but had always been curious as to what it was. Never would she had guessed it was mead. "But it feels kinda weird that you're stuck in a nineteen year old's body when your actually in your late thirties, I mean… you're an older man and yet you've got Musubi and Kusano as your Sekirei… creepy." She was clearly joking but the idea did strike a nerve.

"Yeah… well… I can't really fight that." Malist said with mild depression before starting to down more of his drink.

"I'm joking, you are clearly not some lecherous old man preying on those girls… the fact you find it creepy is a good sign."

"Agh… the idea actually makes me want to believe Serana's crazy _I'm my own son_ theory." He grumbled as he pushed the bottle in his hand by the others and then pulled out another bottle from his Inventory. " _I really shouldn't given how few I have of these…_ "

"Serana… is that the name of the woman with the glowing eyes?"

"Yeah… wait… when did you see Serana? Was it that time in the bath?"

"You took a bath with her? Wow Malist, and here I thought it would be harder to get you into things like that." Matsu giggled with not so slight perverted over tones. But in the back of her mind she was barring all forms of carnal activity in the bath room given how insanely hot he made it.

"Nothing happened, but if you didn't see her then… when? She's one of the best at stealth." Malist did have to give it to his vampire friend, she was very sneaky to the point where outside of his Nightingale armor she could easily beat him.

"She showed up when you went to work on that first day. She talked to Miya for a while and then left. I didn't hear what she had said because she casted some kind of magic… though I didn't really know it at the time." Malist was quiet for a few moments. Not really acknowledging that Matsu was even in the room. He really didn't know what to do with this information, on one hand he didn't like Serana going behind his back and speaking with Miya. It felt to much like she mother hen'ing him and she felt the need to make sure he was safe. He could take care of himself. But he knew Serana and knew that whatever she had was in his best interest. That at least he knew about her.

"I… will need to speak with her later." He mumbled to himself before looking back to Matsu. "Tabling her for right now, so now that you know everything and the mystery is gone. Is there something else you wanted?" He had a feeling as to what else there might be.

"Oh the mystery is far from over." She said as she moved out of the chair she had been sitting in and back to the door. She checked to see if anyone was waiting in the hall and once she confirmed that no one was in fact there she closed the door and began with great speed locking it with Malist many locks. She then looked back at him with a gleam in her eye that Malist couldn't decide if he found it good or bad. "Even though I now have answers there are still so many questions that have spawned from them. Many of them can only be answer through personal experience." She said as she stepped closer to him. "You… are my Ashikabi. There can be no question, this fire boring in my heart can only be caused by the man I am destined to be with."

"You sure about that… than who am I to stop you from getting what you need." He said without too much an emotion that made Matsu pause for a moment.

"What's wrong… you… don't want me to be your Sekirei?" The idea that her Ashikabi might not like her sobered all thoughts Matsu had. It was the dread and fear for all Sekirei, to be rejected by the one they were supposed to be with.

"I didn't say that. But I want you to know that anything beyond a kiss… I am unable to give you at this time." He said with clear disappointment in his voice. "Something is… holding me back. I don't know what but there is guilt I feel when thinking about moving any further than that line." Matsu could hear what that was in his voice.

"You have… someone back in Nirn don't you?" She said as sadness filled her eyes as she looked away.

"If that is true… then I would feel even worse. Because I don't remember them. I could blame the Daedra that took that memory but in the end I didn't hold on to it like I did with so many others. But I feel something, something that tells me that it is important. I don't know what it is that keeps me from moving forward… however. I will say that I care about all of you, that I know is not in doubt." Matsu smiled at his inclusion of her in his statement. That alone made her know that it was true. "I'm sorry that…" He quickly interrupted by Matsu kissing him. His room quickly filling with the glow of her wings.

"You never have to be… Malist? Damn it… I forgot what happened when you winged Kusano. And I had this whole speech I thought up of on the spot too." Matsu pouted as Malist was once again knocked out by the intense power of Sekirei emerging.

-o0o-

"Okay… now just click on that." Serana pointed to the link on the screen. She had been trying to bring Modyn up to speed on the modern world. She had been able to teach him how to use basic appliances such as the modern features of a kitchen and bathroom. She had been able to get him to have basic understanding of electricity as magicless magic. Cars had been the easiest for him to understand, they were metal boxes that moved. He had been able to learn basic Japanese and English. And Serana had explained what he would need to know about human society in this world.

"I think… like that?" Now she was teaching him the bare bones about the internet and later phones. Modyn clicked on the link to a government run site. Something that would be very unlikely to have a link to a site that might give Serana's computer virus.

"Yes, just try to get the hang of it and we'll move on to for tools you can use." Serana said as she stepped away and headed for her kitchen for a small bag of blood. The last four days had been quiet, she kept a eye on Malist and he seemed to be planning something. He had been busy, he went to public libraries several times leaving with books and documents concerning various topics. He was going into full on research mode that she had seen him do so back in his previous life. He did it during the Staff of Magus ordeal when he had first joined the College of Winterhold. He then also did it before the Dawnguard's assault on her father's castle. As well as before they trapped Odahviing. He was planning something big but he lacked the resources needed to do… anything. So Serana just watched for now, focusing on helping their new Dunmer friend. "He's going to be needing a ID of some kind. But we'll need to hide his face under some Illusion… hmm…" She hummed as she sipped a tea cup of warmed blood. "Maybe…"

"Serana!" She turned as she heard Erik's voice and his fist banging on her door. "We need to talk!" She sighed and set her cup down and walked out of her kitchen. She sent a small look to Modyn telling him it's fine. She opened the door but kept it chained only giving a small crack for her to speak with the Nord. "Serana… open the door." He said with a look of complete seriousness on his face.

"I have company… this better be important." She growled with fake irritation as if he had just interrupted something.

"Malist is remembering Lydia." Serana stared at Erik for a moment and then unhooked the chain and let him in. "Thanks, now kick whoever unlucky so of a troll out so… why the fuck is a Dunmer here?!" Erik shouted as he saw Modyn. "Does this mean we can go home?" He said turning to Serana.

"Possibly… right now the how is up in the air but it seems like we might be able to return with the help of a Daedra Lord." Serana said as she closed the door behind Erik.

"Oh… that's all." Erik grumbled before eyeing the Dunmer. The two sized each other up as the circled Serana's living room furniture.

"Nord." Modyn spat as he began thinking of the various ways he could take the man. Both were of similar stature and clearly both had the strength for a truly destructive fist fight.

"Elf… so how did he get here and why is he here in your apartment?" Erik asked not taking his eyes off Modyn.

"He was sent with a group of cultist to kill Malist. They had been brainwashed so he was not of sane mind while doing so." Serana said as she stepped between the two, her eyes glowing brighter in a threat to both. The men took the threat from the Pure Blood Vampire and grumbled a bit before focusing in on her. "It had been Hermaeus Mora's power that had sent him and his former comrades, I have been questioning him. He had been taken and placed under the power of the Daedra a few months prior to us being sent here. I believe we can trust him, so play nice." She said giving him one last glare. He backed down and soon sat down in one of the chairs opposite of the couch. Serana nodded to Modyn and he also nodded and returned to his learning of the modern world. "Now… what do you mean Malist is remembering Lydia?" Serana said as she sat down on the couch.

"I'm saying he was talking about how he felt guilty when he thought about moving forward with his… oh… uh…" Erik suddenly realized that he couldn't tell Serana because the Sekirei plan was supposed to be a secret.

"So Malist is having issues with his little harem of Sekirei huh. This is sounding like what happened a few months ago." Serana mused as she thought back to her and Aela's attempts to help Malist by getting him a girlfriend. He needed something on this world that he cared about, and he had yet to find work or a cause to put himself into. So she and Aela had thought he could with a relationship. That had hit a big problem in the form of Malistantius' heartbreak being passed on to Malist.

"You… you know about…"

"Nice job getting twins. Really didn't think you had it in you." She joked as he then began shouting at her about what did she mean by that. She could hear Modyn muttering about Nords not being able to handle any small slight to their ego. She ignored both. " _I had hoped that some good would come from the mad Daedra's meddling. I had hoped him taking Malistantius' memory would mean he could move on from Lydia's murder. It would seem those feelings of guilt and sorrow have remained._ " Serana thought before returning her eyes to Erik. "Does he remember her… or what is the exact situation with him?"

"He says that something hits him with guilt and sadness when he thinks about his Sekirei in any sexual way. When he begins thinking about _trying to take that next step_ …" Erik said with air quotes. "… his mind gets overloaded with hurt and loss. It has to be Lydia. That describes the way he acted after she was killed. He would just… shut down when I or Brynjolf or Farkas or Ralof tried to get him to get in the bed of some woman he met at a tavern. He'd just disappear and we wouldn't see him until the next morning where he wouldn't even acknowledge the night before." Erik recalled as he leaned on his hands in thinking of memories of those times.

"And this… is affecting him and his Sekirei?"

"Not now… I don't think so. But it will." He said before looking up at Serana. "You're not a Ashikabi… you don't understand that this bond we have with our Sekirei. It feels deeper than anything I've ever felt before. And the idea of it being anything less than what it is… I can't stand it."

"It's more than just sex… the memory of Lydia is keeping Malist from experiencing a level of intimacy needed for the bond to feel right."

"Sure… what you said." Erik said not feeling like using those exact words. "So… how do we fix this?" Erik said sitting back hoping that Serana had answers that he lacked.

"We don't." She replied bluntly shocking Erik. "You see, the thing Malistantius needed was to move on and find something or better yet someone to help him. He was unwilling to do so and avoided anything that even remotely seemed like that out of guilt for Lydia's loss and because she had been taken from him. He still felt like being with a another woman was the same thing as cheating. But now Malist has his Sekirei… they will force him to break through this. As much as I hate to say it… this is a problem that she needs to come to an explosive end."

-o0o-

"Do any of you know which one of these is the sobering potion?" Matsu asked the assembled Sekirei of Malist. It had taken a bit of talking and convincing but she had been able to get the rest Malist's Sekirei to help her. Mostly her, they were happy to help Malist. So now Musubi, Kusano, and Akitsu were all in Malist room trying to figure out how to fix him back up from Matsu's winging.

"Maybe this one?" Musubi guessed as she pulled out a large bottle of dark green liquid. It was actually a bottle of frostbite venom. Musubi had been easy to convince to help, and she didn't care that much if Matsu was now Malist's Sekirei too.

"The bottle Erik had given Malist had a brown color to it." Akitsu said from sitting at the end of Malist's bed where they had put him for the moment. She had taken the spot in jealous protection from Matsu. Akitsu had accepted Musubi to a degree as she had seen how she made Malist feel better about himself and that was good. Kusano was far too young to make Akitsu feel even remotely threatened. But Matsu, Akitsu knew exactly who she was and the number two Sekirei was a big threat in the mind of the seventh Sekirei. And so far Akitsu had yet to hear the confirmation from Malist that Matsu was indeed a true Sekirei to him.

"This one!" Kusano called out as she held up a small bottle of brown liquid.

"Are you sure… a lot of these potions are giving me the creeps." Matsu said as she took the bottle from Kusano. "It looks like the one used when he winged Kusano… but… we have very little idea of exactly what any of these things do." Matsu said unsure and worried that it might turn out to be some kind of poison. "Has his friend Erik called back yet?"

"No, his number only goes to voice mail." Akitsu answered as she held up Malist phone. Matsu had remembered that Erik was from Nirn and likely had the needed potion and went for Malist's phone to call him, but Akitsu swiped the phone away knowing that Matsu might do other things with the device.

"And Serana?"

"Same thing." Matsu sighed at that answer and looked down at the potion in her hand. She really didn't want to do anything without the needed information. She had tried looking through the journals and various books Malist had stacked on his Alchemy Table but they were all written in languages native to Tamriel. "If we are unsure of the effects of the potion, we should let Malist naturally sleep this off." Akitsu said looking back to Malist who was quietly sleeping in his bed.

"You're right… we might do something horrible to him. Like maybe turn his skin green or make him grow a second head." Musubi offered completely convinced that Malist's potions were capable of such things. Standing next Musubi Kusano was nodding her head vigorously, scared of the idea of Malist turning into some kind of monster because they give him the wrong potion.

"Fine… I guess I have to wait a little bit before I get more answers to my questions." Matsu groaned before putting the sobering potion back where Kusano found it.

-o0o-

Malist was dreaming. He knew that much. The last thing he remembered was being kissed by Matsu. That explained why he was asleep, he was drunk on the energy and now was sleeping it off. Like he wanted too instead of taking a sobering potion.

"But this doesn't feel like a normal dream… maybe caused by the energy Matsu released from her emerging." All around him felt… off. It wasn't Oblivion, he had felt the power of the Shivering Isles and Evergloom this place lacked something inherent in both places. The landscape around him was of downtown Tokyo, but random parts of it were crumbling and rotting away. "This… is not a normal dream." Malist could feel something invading the state of space his mind was currently occupying. The pieces of rot and ruin around him began growing out toward him. Malist watched as the dark influence grew closer until Malist had enough and began burring the rot away with a casted flamethrower spell. Magicka was inherited to a person's very soul so it was as natural to use it in a dream as in the real world. "This might not be Oblivion but there is a Daedric influence here. Vaermina… what are you doing here on Earth?" He questioned as he began walking through the streets.

The lack of people and movement was disconcerting but that was probably the point. Vaermina was Daedric Lord of nightmares and terror, so making the dream as disturbing and scary was the norm for her. The cityscape around Malist was also without any real landmarks or clues to where he was. All he could do was walk forward and hopefully find whatever Vaermina wanted him to find and then he would kill it. He was unsure as to what it might be, maybe Nocturnal back when she was super pissed at him. Harkon was also a possibility as the Vampire Lord was one of the few beings that put up a real match to him.

" _I am your sword and your shield_." Malist looked back the source of the voice. There was nothing but he had heard the quote.

"So that's her game… trying to remind me of those who I left behind. But… which one of the housecarls was that. I recognize the voice but… I just can't quite place it." Malist said to himself as he continued on with moving through this nightmare. "OH Vaermina… come out and play you old hag." Malist growled as he was starting to get fairly annoyed at the lack of… anything.

" _In these times… it's people you know and fought beside with you must rely on._ "

"Lydia… that kinda pisses me off." Malist fists gripped tightly at him now recognizing the voice that had been following him. That had been what Lydia had told him when he had asked her if she wanted to leave his company after Jarl Balgruuf had refused Ulfric's demands. She had stayed by his side instead of following her Jarl. "I'm going to make this just that more painful for you stupid Daedra." Malist grinded as he shot a fireball on to the nearby building setting it on fire. As he walked forward he continued to send flames all around him trying to destroy the world built around him. It did nothing, the buildings around him fell and crumbled but the world showed no sign that this mattered in the slightest.

" _That was not fun my Thane… next time you want to do something that stupid I might not follow_."

"But you always did… I am going to Shout you into tiny little pieces when I get my hands on you!" Malist roared as his anger was growing at the sullying of one of his most treasured friends' memory. " **LAAS YAH NIR**!" Malist shouted the normally whispered Thu'um and soon his vision was given a glimpse of a crowd life signs surrounding one. "There you are." Malist savagely grinned as he took a step toward the mass of Daedric life signs. But the second he changed directions a nearby building fell forward and blocked his path. "You don't want me to head that huh… **FUS RO DAH**!" Malist blasted the building with his booming voice. The concrete not even giving the force of the power a fight as the fallen building as crushed and demolished into pieces. "I'm coming for you." Malist began running toward the mass of life signs now fading from his vision but as he got closer he began hearing the sounds battle. Roars of Daedra eager for battle and the chanting of battle calls began filling the air. Malist slowed and looked around the corner to where the source of the battle was and found that it was indeed a horde of Daedra in battle… with a single woman. Malist watched as she commanded a mass of water and used it to kill several incoming Daedra.

"Vile demons! I will not be beaten by such lowly beasts such as you!" Tsukiumi, Sekirei number nine, called out to the monsters that surrounded her. She had no earthly idea where she was or how she got here but she was not going to be beaten by anyone. The last thing she remembered was feeling tired for no apparent reason and falling asleep on the roof of some building. If this was all some horrible dream then she at least didn't worry about some vile man coming and… doing unspeakable things to her. "Come! If it is a challenge you desire then hurry and come at me!" Many of the demonic beings smiled and flashed their fangs in joy at her taunts as several of them looked to take her up on it. But then just as the next wave of demons were about to move two massive explosive crashes were heard. Tsukiumi looked up and saw two goliath sized beings made of stone and lightning itself smash their way in the back lines of the horde. Then she watched as a third began to form by some magic pulling apart a nearby building. The pieces of ruble smashed together and formed the spheres that made up the beings' bodies. Bright blue lightning curved around the stone pieces and a new titan was formed. "What could this…" Tsukiumi stopped when she heard the screech of an another demon lunge at her. The sight of the stone goliaths had distracted her enough to where the demon was now in close enough range to land a hit with those nasty looking swords of theirs. She tried to form an attack to counter but everything seemed to slow as she knew it was already too late… but then three ethereal arrows pierced the demon's head and sent him falling back.

"Enough gawking and more fighting!" She looked forward and saw a man with a strange see through blue bow in one and in the other a glowing hand of frost in the other. "They aren't waiting so you shouldn't either." He said before pulling back on his bow and firing off several more arrows into the crowd of demons. That had knocked the Sekirei out of her confusion as he had a point, questions could be answered later. Right now they were in a fight and that meant there could be no hesitation. So the two fought the horde, the sounds of the Storm Atronachs slamming their arms into the lines of Daedra filled the air, along with Shouts from Malist as he continued to kill the Daedra in droves, Tsukiumi followed right along with equal devastation on the enemy's numbers. The battle raged on for a little over an hour though no one was really keeping track of the time. The hordes of Daedra soon began thinning against the combined power of the number nine Sekirei and the Dovahkiin. And soon the remaining Daedra began vanishing from the dream not wanting to die a meaningless death.

"Cowards! Come and fight like true warriors!" Tsukiumi cursed at the disappearing forms of the Daedra. "Hmp… more like locusts than warriors."

"No truer words have been said about the Daedra hordes." Malist he dispelled his conjured bow and turned to the Storm Atronachs. "Damn… they are big boys… shame I can't bring they out this big in the real world." He chuckled as dispelled them as well… causing the lightning surrounding to stop and the stone to fall to the ground a deafening crash. Malist just chuckled a bit more and then turned to the sky. "IS THAT ALL YOU GOT VAERMINA?!" Malist mocked the Daedra Lord of torture and nightmares.

"Excuse me… but just who are you and what is this place we are in?" Tsukiumi asked the possibly insane man. But as she finished her question, she felt something in her chest. A warmth that had been plaguing her for the past few days. " _This feeling… could this mean that this warrior is…_ "

"Malistantius Caeraso, and the place we are in is likely a shared dream brought by our connection as Sekirei and Ashikabi." He said confirming what she had been thinking. "But it seems to have been perverted by the Daedra Lord of Nightmares and Terror." Malist explained but when he looked back at the woman he was surprised to see the look of rage on her face.

"You… you are the one…" Streams of water flowed at a insanely rapid pace around Tsukiumi as he anger built up inside of her. "I know exactly what you plan of me… but I will not allow such a terrible thing to pass. I shall only allow for your end!" She said before sending the streams of water shooting towards Malist only for them to be hastily blocked by a wall of ice.

"Oh fuck that was close…" Malist sighed as he held up the wall with his Magicka. "… what… the absolute... fuck… was that?" Malist questioned as he never expected a Sekirei to do something like that. He was able to understand that this was something like the time he shared a Dream with Kusano meaning that she had to be one his Sekirei. Which also begged the question of just how many more Sekirei he was going to get. But that thought wasn't on his mind at the moment. "Hey listen! Whatever problem you have with me I'm sure we can talk it out."

"Not on your life, I will never listen to your lies and falsehoods!" Tsukiumi responded before sending an even stronger attack that blasted through the wall of ice.

" **WULD!** " Malist shouted and dashed away from the attack. "Listen… I am not going to do anything to you that you don't want. And plus this place really isn't the place to get divided." He tried to warn only for another attack to nearly hit him. " **WULD!** Vaermina is not the kind of hag to just wait while we deal with an our issues."

"You wound me with such insinuation…" A grumbled elderly voice surrounded the two. The direction and source of the voice neither Malist nor Tsukiumi could place. "Little Dovahkiin… it would seem that Sheogorath really did do more than send you to this world. To see you in such a state… oh I must thank him before I kill that traitorous madman of course."

"Are the Princes fighting among themselves again… oh you poor Daedra you." Malist mocked while Tsukiumi was silent. Completely confused to what was going on between the disembodied voice and her apparent Ashikabi. "Mind telling me just how you got to this world?"

"As if I would do something as stupid as leave Quagmire for this boring world." The voice scoffed. "I am merely taking a opportunity presented to eliminate a future problem. And that is what I shall do…" At that the building surrounding Malist and Tsukiumi crumbled away into a forming swamp. All around them the city sank deep into the murky waters and soon were replaced by massive weeping willows and moss covered ruins jutting out of the swamp.

"This place is truly a foul and disgusting place." Tsukiumi said as she covered her nose to the smell.

"It could be worse… we could be in the real thing. This is just an imitation of one of the many forms of Quagmire." Malist said as he looked around for any hint of movement Before looking back at Tsukiumi. "Listen, I'm not sure what you have against me but right now… we really need to work together. We are dealing with the force of terror itself, and if we don't get out of this then all we will know is horror and fear until our bodies wither and die in the real world." Malist warned with a look of total seriousness on his face. Tsukiumi could feel the despair and evil intent in the very air around her so she reluctantly nodded in agreement.

"Very well, we have an agreement between us, but be warned I will watch your actions like a hawk and if I see anything ill intention towards myself I will respond in kind." Malist just sighed knowing that any distrust between them would come to hurt them later.

"Fine. First off… where is your body in the real world?"

"It is on the roof of a building, I doubt anyone would find it."

"That's not good… waking up is our best chance of getting out of this and doing so from the inside is limited." Malist explained. "I should be home and by now I'm sure Matsu has gotten everyone to try and find a Sobering potion to wake me. But if they haven't already then… why haven't they woken me up?"

"What are you taking about…" Tsukiumi asked with narrowed eyes as she was getting a pretty good idea.

"You could be woken up by someone just poking you with a stick. I am currently passed out due to a overloud of energy from winging Sekirei number two Matsu." He said with a small smirk as he knew how she would react.

"What?! You already have a Sekirei, and you dare to say that I am also yours."

"Yup, in fact I currently have four. You would make five." He said slightly dismissively. He didn't it to be of much issue given that he had never once had a say in it.

"You… you swine… you…" She was about to off on another rant but he interrupted her.

"They all chose me. I never forced any of them into it. They chose me… something that I will never be able to show enough gratitude for." At that Tsukiumi felt her anger for this man drop like a stone in water. "Am just some husk of a great man and yet they chose to be with me. Some loser that can't do anything but rely on the talents and powers of the man he once was. I don't think I will ever understand why I deserved them… but I'm not going to question or deny it. Because that would be an insult to them and that is something I cannot do." He finished and the air between the two grew a tiny bit less filled with tension.

" _This man… he really cares for those he has bonded with. He doesn't seen them a toys and things to be used. He speaks of them with such love and gratefulness._ " Tsukiumi couldn't help but feel that maybe he was different than what she had thought a Ashikabi to be. "When you say are but the husk of a once great man… what do you mean by that?" The way he spoke had by now made her think he was already a great man, at least in the back of her mind that is.

"That is a story for a time when we aren't in mortal danger." He said as he conjured a mage light and began to walk along the dirt path through the swamp. "Right now we have three options, one we can wait until my friends come and wake me up. Doing so we likely wake up as well. But the problem with that plan is that the longer we are here the harder it will be for anyone to wake us up. We've been here for about a little over an hour so for you it would need a hard shove or for me a few gulps of a sobering potion." He explained as the two walked through the swamp. "If we stay too long you could get stabbed and nothing would happen." Tsukiumi frowned at that example.

"So what could we do here in this world to save ourselves."

"We have two options… we find the nightmare that is tying us to this place, either yours or mine, kill it and be done with this. Or we find whatever anchor Vaermina is using in this realm and break it. Problem with that is I only have a vague idea of what she might use for an anchor."

"And what would that be?"

"Normally it's a human skull." Malist said casually not responding to the disgusted look on Tsukiumi's face. "And considering this is a Daedra we are facing… human skulls are to be expected."

-o0o-

"This is starting to become ridiculous." Serana said as she looked over Malist sleeping form. She had finally finished with Erik and was able to check her phone and saw that she had several calls from Malist. To her surprise it wasn't Malist actually calling but his Sekirei. She was made aware of the situation and hurried over to Izumo Inn to find Malist currently passed out in his bed.

"I'm so sorry, I forgot about what happened after he emerged Kusano. I should have seen this coming." Matsu apologized profusely to the vampire who only gave a small uncaring glance to the Sekirei.

"He knows you kissed him, right?" She asked with a bit of warning to her tone.

"Uh yes… yes yes he did." Matsu confirmed quickly.

"Very well hand me that bottle over there." Serana pointed to the exact same bottle that they had been thinking about giving Malist an hour ago.

"I told you that was the right one!" Kusano declared loudly.

"You agreed with them that we should give it to him." Matsu countered as she pointed to Akitsu and Musubi.

"Enough… just hand the potion over." Serana said with the same tone of dread and terror the women were used to hearing from Miya. Only lacking thee normal sweet delivery Miya used. Matsu quickly handed the vampire the requested bottle and Serana moved to put it to Malist mouth. Only for the bottle to crack and shatter once it got near Malist. Serana's eyes widened at the event and knew instantly what was going on. "Damn… so this is their next move."

"What happened? Why did it shatter like that?" Matsu asked as the rest of the Sekirei were now worrying for their Ashikabi.

"It means that someone doesn't want Malist waking up any time soon." Serana said as she pulled one of Malist's chairs over to his bedside. "We are going to have watch and wait to see if he can get through this trap.' She said as she sat next to Malist.

-o0o-

"What is this place?" Tsukiumi asked as they moved from the swamp they started in to a strange ruins built of stone and bronze like metal.

"I think this is a Dwemer ruin of some kind. I'm not sure which one." Malist explained as they continued forward. He was unsure of what it was that Vaermina was trying to do here, clearly it was focused on Malist rather than Tsukiumi. Malist had noticed that Vaermina didn't even acknowledge Tsukiumi back when they were speaking, but he knew that she had cared enough to send a horde of Daedra to try and get rid of her. Malist was pretty sure that Vaermina planned on Malist but it was becoming clear that she had not for the Sekirei.

"And just what is this Dwemer you are speaking of, I have never heard of such a name."

"I'd be concerned if you had heard of them." Malist chuckled a bit. "They were a people that built underground cities and were a highly advanced people, able to combined magic and machine. But they reached for too much and tried to use the heart of a dead god to make themselves into immortal divine beings… so they all turned to dust when it backfired."

"An entire people… you can speak so casually about their destruction?" She wasn't accusing, as any that could be so arrogant as to mess with something like the heart of a god deserved the fate the built for themselves.

"They were awful people… really awful people. They enslaved many and were total assholes to everyone else." Malist put it bluntly and little to Tsukiumi's irritation. "But as to this ruin we are in right now… not sure. Which worries me… because if Vaermina has us coming in here that means something happened here that is painful for me. But if I don't remember it… we're going in blind." Malist said trying to steel himself for whatever he might be heading toward.

" _Are you sure we should be coming here?_ " A gruff male voice sounded around the two. " _That madwoman down by the docks kept ranting on and on about how dangerous this place is."_

"That's Lob… he's still alive as far as I know." Malist said as he stopped, waiting to see if there was more to listen to.

" _Are you scared Lob, just some metal spiders and a walking death machines to worry about._ " That voice sounded like Malist but older and slightly deeper. " _Come on, it smells of loot and good fights._ "

" _This is going to end badly my thane, it always does in these ruins_." The memory of Lydia groaned but didn't sound actually that put off by the whole thing.

" _He had me at loot, let's get moving_." At that a ethereal ghost moved through Malist and Tsukiumi. It had the basic outline of a man with light armor and a large sword on his back. Then two more shapes moved through the young Dovahkiin and Sekirei. One of a man in robes with a staff and a woman in heavy ebony armor with a sword and shield. The man in front of the two continued further into the ruin before disappearing leaving the man and woman.

" _Are we sure we should be out adventuring, things have been strange lately. I have this feeling that something is hovering above us."_ Lydia said as she stopped and turned to Malistantius.

" _Something is always after us, that's just life for me and everyone around me_." Malistantius said before waving a hand passed his face and thus sending the Dragon Priest mask he had on away to his Inventory. " _Don't tell me that I bit of worry is going to scare you off now?_ " Malistantius smirked and Lydia smiled lightly at his boasting.

" _Yes, that is what will drive me away. I can deal with dragons, trolls, vampires, Daedra, and all manner of beasts but a strange unease is what is to cause me to leave you."_ She japed back before stabbing the floor with her sword and placing her shield on the hilt. She then surprised both Malistantius, Malist, and Tsukiumi by swiftly wrapping her arms around Malistantius neck and kissing him.

"I… I don't remember that." Malist struggled to get out as he was completely in shock at what he was seeing.

"And why would you have a memory of this, there is not a sign that you are here to witness this moment between lovers." Tsukiumi pointed confused as to why Malist would be so shocked.

" _It will take more than Alduin and all the Daedra Lords combined to drive me from your arms Malistantius_." Lydia answered Tsukiumi's confusion but then changed the focus of it.

"That is the name you introduced yourself under, does this mean you are his son and the two of you share a name?" That caused Malist to hold his face in mixed annoyance and awkwardness.

"No… no no no no… no… well… I say that now but others might say yes in a metaphorical sense." Malist sighed as the former version of himself and Lydia parted and continued their way on into the ruins. "That was me… or was me… but it still is… it is so complicated that it hurts my head to think about. Okay… I come from another world entirely. It is called Nirn, this ruin we are in is in a land in Nirn called Skyrim. Back then I was a hero, the greatest hero of that age. I had saved the world from the dragon Alduin the World Eater, I also saved it from other threats but that was the biggest one. And then a few years after that I was ambushed by the Daedra Lord of Madness Sheogorath. For some reason he sent me and three others to Earth and on top of that he decided for seemingly no other reason than funny to turn me into a eighteen year old. Both in body and mind. I can barely remember anything from my previous life so this!" He pointed to where Malistantius and Lydia had disappeared off into. "Is news to me." He said before taking a deep breath and then exhaling. "You think I'm nuts don't you…"

"No, truly I do not." Tsukiumi wasn't sure why she believed the man, on some level she had to believe parts of his story given what she had seen. But that was only part of the reason why she did so.

" _Once again they surprise me and believe me when so many other would wave me off… then again we are trapped in a magic dreamscape by a Dadra Lord so… maybe there is a bit more evidence for her_." Malist thought as he looked up to Tsukiumi.

"What are you staring, cease doing so at once." The tone was harsh and she still held the same frown as she had been but there was a small blush that detracted from the hostility she was trying to maintain.

"We need to find the center of the nightmare… and I'm starting to get an idea of what it might be." Malist said as he turned to the hallway that led deeper into the ruins. His mind had begun putting together the pieces of the puzzle. The mad woman by the docks, a Dwemer ruin, Lob and Lydia. All of these were hints as to the time and place they were at. It was before he had met Serana but after Erik and Aela. However it was during the time him and Aela weren't speaking to each other after he had cured himself of Lycanthropy. Before he had killed Alduin as Lob had lost an arm three months prior to that happening and became Malistantius' steward in his Dawnstar home. All of these things weren't entirely known by memory to Malist but by what Aela, Erik, and Serana had told him. That gave him the time at which this adventure had to have happened. But where was still a trick. The madwoman by the docks was a clue to that, he vaguely recalled an annoying Argonian by the Riften docks that could fit that profile. So that might place the ruins somewhere around there. "Avanchnzel… that was near Riften. But… they never told me I ever went here." Malist mumbled to himself as he and Tsukiumi moved through the Dwemer ruins. Tsukiumi was too focused on the surrounding ruins to really hear what Malist had said. She had never seen architecture such as this.

" _Never before have I seen so many of those damn Dwemer Spiders… at least there ain't any fuckin' Falmer._ " The two heard the voice of Lob complain as the three ghost of the past appeared again.

" _Maybe we should double back and bring in some reinforcements. We have yet to see a Centurion and considering the amount of lesser automatons we can expect to see quite a few of those bastards_." Lydia warned as the ghost kicked the remains of a bronze mechanical spider.

" _We will be fine, I've gotten back into Nocturnal's good graces… we have luck itself on our side_." The other two snorted in irritation at that.

" _You should never rely on luck… but I guess it isn't worth much saying that to a damn thief._ " Lob grumbled.

" _Best damn thief in Skyrim you mean. Besides, it's my luck that get's us the big payout. Remember that troll cave that ended up having a treasure chest filled with gold?"_

" _Malistantius… we need to be on our guard_." Lydia warned with air of finality that seemed to slightly irritate the overly cocky Dovahkiin.

" _Let us move on with this_." The ghost said before moving forward deeper into the ruins brushing past his lover.

"Okay… now I'm a dick…" Malist said still not remembering any of this. "If we were facing overwhelming numbers with just one tank… we should have turned back and gotten reinforcements. Lydia was right… why didn't I listen?" Malist wondered while Tsukiumi stayed silent… she could where this was heading based on what was being shown. And she could see that Malist currently was unable to see what was coming, either from being in denial or his head was too clouded in confusion to see it. They soon came to a large chamber where they found the ghost of the past standing on a freshly made inactive Dwemer Centurion.

" _Yeah! I told you we could do it_." Malistantius cheered as he hopped of the giant robot. " _There's nothing we can't handle, I thought you two would learn that by now_." The ghost said _we_ but the look on his face told Malist and Tsukiumi he really meant there was nothing he could not handle.

" _How expected… arrogance from the mouth of the foolish so called Dovahkiin_." At that five more ghosts appeared from the entrance Malist and Tsukiumi had just walked though.

" _And just who are you all_?" Lydia demanded as her and Lob moved to Malistantius flanks.

" _Just some hired hands… well I shouldn't say that. We aren't the hands in this little ambush._ " The lead ambusher said with a clear smirk on his face. The three adventurers all knew exactly who he was referring to but before anyone could take a step… the air was broken by the sound of a bow launching an arrow. Malist and Tsukiumi watched in horror as in the span in one second from the sound of the arrow flying through the air… it hit its mark in Lydia's throat. " _That would be the black hand of the Dark Brotherhood. Now Guild Master Malistantius… it's time for a change in leadership more favorable to those your better._ " Neither Malistantius or the current version of Malist were listening to the ambusher. Malistantius was now holding the quickly dying body of his lover in his arms, Malist silently standing over the scene unable to form a coherent thought.

" _Lydia! Hold still… I'll he…_ " He his glowing hand was stopped by unresponsive body in his hands. " ** _LAAS_**!" He shouted and quickly eyed the archer that he been the killer of the woman he loved. He raised a hand fired an ice spear that hit its mark and pinned the assassin to the wall. He then turned to the ambushers and summoned five Dremora. " _Have fun with them_." Malistantius coldly ordered and the summoned Daedra all grinned savagely at the prospect of playing with the men. The ambushers quickly began running for their lives with the Dremora chasing after them. Meanwhile Lob had dragged the assassin down to the floor and in front of Malistantius and the now dead Lydia. Lob pulled the hood back to reveal a green scaled Argonian. " _Who hired you_?"

" _If you know who I am then you know I cannot answer that._ "

" ** _KRLL LUN_**!" Malistantius Shouted at the assassin and once the black and purple wave of power washed over the Argonian small purple flames began burring his body. The man screamed as he felt his very life force get ripped and torn off piece by piece.

" _What?! What have you done to me_?!" He cried out in agony.

" _Marked you for death… now tell me who hired you and I will end this_." The assassin struggled to try and hold back the intense amount of pain he currently was feeling.

" _You already know… why torture me for it and cause me to break my oath to Sithis._ "

" _Because you killed the woman I loved! I will make sure you leave this world as broken as you can be!"_

"But was he really the one who killed your love?" The voice of Vaermina echoed around them as the ghost of the past disappeared leaving a completely life like body of Lydia laying on the floor. "Was it really the arrow from the bow of the assassin that killed her? Or could have been the person that led them down into the ambush, the person that did not heed the warnings?"

"Shut up… shut up…" Malist mumbled as he fell to Lydia's side. "All I need to do to leave this place is finish this…" He said as a conjured dagger formed in his hand. That same hand shook as he moved it over above Lydia's heart. "I… I need… I…" Malist's voice cracked as tears began forming in his mind of all the happy memories that he had lost began flooding back.

"Are you really going to kill me a second time?" Lydia's voice asked him as the corpse's hand grabbed his forearm. Only Tsukiumi could hear the second layer of Vaermina's voice under the dead woman's.

"Mali…" Tsukiumi began as she reached out but then a wall of shadow blocked her. She prepared to dispatch this obstacle but stopped as something came out of it. Tsukiumi stepped back in horror as the form of her tuner Miyajima.

"Why are you helping him… he's just some man that will ruin you. They think nothing of what is best for you, no one does but yourself. Have you forgotten the lessons I have taught you?" The vision scolded with a cold and clearly hostile tone. The double voice of the image was lost on Tsukiumi who was now paralyzed with fear.

"You should have listened to me." Lydia said as she rose above Malist. "I would have survived another day if you had just listened to me. we would have been happy and together. But your arrogance cost us everything." Malist froze under the gaze of the woman his previous self had loved. Memories of his former life bombarding his mind and blurring the line between him and who he had been.

"I… I was strong… I thought I could protect you from anything." Malist tried his best to defend himself from her words and accusations.

"But you didn't! I was killed because you thought yourself unbeatable. That very may well have been the case but for us mortals we still are very much killable. You may be the great Dovahkiin, savor of Nirn but those around you are but mare people who you just grace with the chance to be around." She mocked as Malist shivered in fear as the memories continued only now changing from one of happiness to dread and loss. "You were everything to me! I trusted you to always make it through anything we faced, but apparently, that trust didn't go both ways."

"No… no I did trust you… I trusted you above everyone else. Make this stop… I can't… I can't…"

"If you had really trusted me then you would have listened to me! We would have gone back and found those men following us. You would have checked our surroundings and found the assassin. I would have survived and we would be happy!"

"That… that wasn't me… I… I'm diff…" Malist stopped as the vision of Lydia stepped on his neck.

"Don't even try to make that argument. You are you, you are Malistantius Caeraso. Just because you have a new face and a ruined memory doesn't make it any different. You are still the same person that led us into this Oblivion damned ruin where I met my death!" Malist tried to say anything but could only choke as Lydia's boot pressed against his neck. "That's all that ever happens to the people around you, death. Those that haven't died will because you will continue to make the same mistakes because of your inflated ego and over confidence. You will be the cause of everyone's death because you made the mistake of thinking you could piss off a Daedra Lord and not think there would be consequences." It was at this point Lydia's voice was becoming more Vaermina's own rather than Lydia's. "Dawnstar was mine you little nothing… all that fear… all that terror… it was delicious. And then you came with that traitor… I even offered you my piece in Mundus, the Skull of Corruption… and yet you refused! You gladly accepted that whore Nocturnal's gifts and yet you spur me!" The vision of Lydia stopped as she felt Malist's fear being replaced with anger. And then the specter took a moment to recomposed herself. "You… will forever be a failure Malistantius." Her voice returned to how it was, only Lydia's to Malist ears. "You will continue to make the mistakes you always do… but now… it will be at the cost of those you have found. Those women that have placed their complete trust in you like I had once ago you will betray… you will cause their deaths just as you caused mine. The will die by the hands of others but the fault will be solely y…" There was a sharp thud that stopped her from speaking. She looked down at Malist who was burring at her with eyes of bitter hate, then down to the conjured dagger stabbed into her chest.

"I will never… betray the trust they have given me." He growled as the specter of Lydia dripped away to reveal Vaermina. The Daedric Lord of terror and nightmares just chuckled at the statement.

"Believe what you want Dovahkiin." The Daedra mocked before sighing. "It would seem I bit off more than I could chew as it were. No matter… you will be dealt with in due time. I let rage cloud my judgment and was too eager to exact my revenge for your slight against me. A mistake the others will learn from." At that cryptic warning and threat Vaermina vanished in pillar of smoke. The world around Malist and Tsukiumi began to drain of all color and amination. Malist didn't really notice. He was too drained mentally and emotionally.

"Is it over… are we free?" Tsukiumi asked as she stood up, the image of her tuner had faded and she felt clearer in thought. Malist didn't respond, Tsukiumi looked over and found him kneeling at the place Lydia had been lying dead.

"I never even knew… I forgot about her. I forgot what she really meant to me." He said to no one in particular. Just thinking his thoughts out loud. "And… I can't help but feel nothing. Now that Vaermina is gone and the memories have stopped pounding me… I can't feel for her loss. I is her as a friend and sister in battle but… now that I remember and know. I feel nothing. Am I really such a awful person as to feel nothing for the loss of someone I once loved." As Malist spoke the walls and floor of the dreamscape began growing darker, as if to represent to despair growing in Malist.

"No you are not Malistantius." Tsukiumi said as she approached him. "Your anger for her loss was shown back in a life now lost. I may not fully understand the details of your circumstance, but you are not the man you once were. You have been given a fresh start, a new chance, to live beyond the mistakes of the past and folly of what you had been."

"I'm sorry to say but the man I once was is the greatest person I could be. He was the hero of an entire world, how can I not want to be like that? To aspire to be just like how I used to be. And yet that same man who saved the world was the cause of the death of woman he loved. I can't… I can't follow that path because the idea of causing any death of the women who have placed so much faith in me hurts more than anything. I feel so conflicted… I don't know what…" Malist stopped as Tsukiumi kissed him. The energy of the winging exploding around them, mirroring what was happening in the real world. "Wh.. why?" He asked as she parted from him.

"Because you are a better man than any I have seen before. Only a good and just man would feel such sorrow over his own morality. To worry so much if he is taking the correct path in life, and to want to fiercely to do right by those he cares about." Tsukiumi said with the first smile Malist had seen on her face. Malist was about to respond but the energy of Tsukiumi's winging had accelerated the dreamscape's destruction. Cracks in reality began forming as the two felt themselves wake up. And before either could say anything more to each other they woke up from the dream/nightmare


End file.
